


r3-w0rk

by WoffWoff



Category: Mr. Robot (TV)
Genre: Blood, Kinda, M/M, Multi, Phase 2, Protection, Slow Burn, Violence, is this really canon divergent if s3 hasn't happened yet, red wheelbarrow references
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-04
Updated: 2017-02-05
Packaged: 2018-09-14 18:29:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 20,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9197909
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WoffWoff/pseuds/WoffWoff
Summary: Leon returns after Elliot's healed to be his bodyguard. As Phase Two is slowly rebuilt, Elliot has to create a whole new approach and relearn his own motives for the plan.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Someone Special](https://archiveofourown.org/works/8122879) by [evrybodysdarlin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/evrybodysdarlin/pseuds/evrybodysdarlin). 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i based a couple starter headcanons off of evrybodysdarlin's fic, Someone Special!  
> also there def are references to the tie-in book!  
> i'm gonna title the chapters later, and add warnings when they show up.
> 
> also writing is present tense is hard so if i mess it up here and there, be a homie and look the other way for me lmao
> 
> also i'm mad cause they wouldn't let me save the title with a zero in it so i had to overcompensate with a stupid dash
> 
> questions and comments are welcome, i hope y'all enjoy. <3

“ _Elliot!_ ”

Darlene’s voice snaps Elliot out of his daze. He looks over at her, alarmed.

“Jeez, it’s like you’re deaf sometimes, I swear.” She’s scrolling on her phone, but her eyes dart up to look at him. “I’m thinking of getting pizza, is that cool with you?”

Elliot shakes his head. It was pepperoni last night, spinach and feta the day before, and two large bacon pizzas before that. He’s not sure he can even look at another pizza. He hears Darlene suck her teeth and mumble something about being picky before he turns back to the laptop in front of him. She struts past, cutting between him and the little table, purposefully knocking his knees as she went. He rolls his eyes but doesn’t say anything.

She opens a few cabinets, shuts them, then tears open the refrigerator door. She stares into it before taking out a small tray of leftovers she’d gotten from Angela’s place. “We really need to restock the place. I’m gonna get someone to deliver groceries here.”

Elliot nods, feeling her eyes on him. A couple minutes pass, and soon whatever Angela gave Darlene is starting to smell good. He leans forward and keeps sifting through the data on his screen. After the fiasco that left him shot in the warehouse, he insisted on finding a workaround for Phase Two, one that didn’t include blowing the facility or the people inside sky-high. Since it was his half of the plan, he met little resistance- little enough to be suspicious, actually, of what the Dark Army was focusing on now. But, for the time being, and after nearly dying, Elliot figures he’s just gonna collect the wins he can. So now he’s reworking Phase Two, without Mr. Robot.

Darlene passes by him again with her food and plops back down onto his bed.

“Hey, Elliot,” Darlene waves her phone to get his attention. “Angela asked how you were.”

A half-shrug and a tilt of his head. “Fine. I guess.” He watches her text Angela back.

“She asked if you felt like talking.”

_Did_ he? He hasn’t seen much of Angela since he got out of the hospital. He’d love to speak to her, but a phone call just seems like a lot of effort right now. Elliot sits back on the couch. “No.”

Darlene just nods, and keeps eating.

Elliot’s still thinking about it, though. He wonders if Angela would have put Tyrell on the phone that time. He isn’t sure if he can handle that right now either. He still isn’t sure what to think of what happened. Even though it’s over, it makes Elliot feel disposable. He wants to ask if Tyrell felt that way about him when he shot him, but he’s afraid of the answer.

His mind races and branches off, and that one thought sets off a series of others. He remembers Tyrell talking about killing that woman- how had he forgotten? He said something about it being like absolute power. Or something like that. Had he felt powerful when he shot Elliot? Was that woman disposable? Gideon? Romero?

Tyrell isn’t at fault for the last two, but Elliot can’t help thinking about who he’d lost from his side, too. He glances at the codes on his screen. No combinations of letters and numbers seemed important enough to kill someone over. He remembers how he thought he’d murdered Tyrell. He’d felt sick, so far removed from himself. How is everyone around him able to kill for what they are doing?

He tries to back out of his snowballing thoughts, but ends up down another road. He thinks of the bloody slaughter Leon pulled off- Kevin and his boys left on the floor with their necks letting out like pigs. He remembers one of them writhing in the corner. The silence itself had been deadly, and Elliot thinks about Leon’s grave face. But also of him, _before_ that. The TV commentary, the pranks, and the advice. He’s still not sure which Leon he’s supposed to believe. Elliot wonders for a while if he’s okay, and if he’ll really see Leon again.

He pushes the laptop screen down and swings his legs up to lie down on the couch. He’s decided he’s tired. Again he recalls Leon’s words, to dream, to figure out what he wants. But right now? Even _that_ seems like too much work. Maybe later. Maybe…  


 

There’s nothing but black.  


 

Then there’s a soft knocking, and suddenly Elliot’s staring up at his apartment ceiling. He’s on his couch. Right... When had he fallen asleep? Where was Darlene? The rapping at his door grows a little insistent, harder to ignore. He rubs his eyes quickly and they get irritated, burning at the centers. He separates himself from the couch and makes his way to the door. The probability of guests at his apartment is rather slim to none; he can’t really think of who’s there if it’s not Darlene just coming back. The knocking’s stopped too. Yeah, it’s probably just Darlene. When he opens the door, he’s at a loss for words.

Definitely not Darlene. _Leon_.

His eyes still burn and he’s tempted to blame this moment on him being half-asleep. But it’s really Leon, standing there, looking down at him. He’s smiling, amused, like he laughed the whole way here, and it makes Elliot want to say _something_ so badly, but he still can’t get over what he’s seeing. Leon’s always been the talker out of the two of them anyhow.

“How you been, cuz?” He ducks into the apartment when Elliot moves out of his way. “You good?” Leon nods after Elliot gives his own, in place of words. Leon takes a second to glance over the apartment. Elliot’s a little relieved that all of his and Darlene’s pizza boxes are gone. He closes the door he forgot about. Leon nods minutely, and turns back to him. “I don’t see her now, but...there’s a girl here sometimes, she steps out with heart glasses. Who’s she?”

“That’s my sister, Darlene.” Elliot answers plainly.

Leon tilts his head a little. “I was only told you two were seen together a lot. I don’t know how they missed telling me she was your sister…” He looks Elliot up and down once, then studies his face for a second. Elliot averts his eyes anyway. “I guess I see it,” Leon shrugs.

“Have you been watching us?” Elliot asks, moving back to his couch.

Leon stays standing. “Guarding’s the word I’d use. Unless you think your sister should be out there on her own.”

Elliot just swallows and thinks. Darlene had been getting a little reckless since Cisco had gone. It had taken them a while to shake the detective, and even then, Elliot felt the tug of some unknown force helping them through that. Whether it was Mr. Robot or...a friend on the inside, he can’t bring himself to obsess over it. At least not this time.

Elliot looks at him. Something must be happening if Leon’s following Darlene around. If it’s bad, he trusts Leon to tell him. “What’s going on?” His thoughts are invaded by the idea of Dark Army cleaning house again. Maybe Leon’s just trying to give them a heads up.

Leon kicks a heel out, shrugging. “Nothin, really. Just got put on a new task.” He smiles, and pushes his hands into his hoodie pockets. “I think you’ll be seeing me a lot more than you’d want to.”

So Leon is back. To stay with him. He’d be around. Now that Elliot understands, something about this delights him. Up until he thinks about the available space he actually has. Which is none. “Are you staying here? I can-”

“Don’t worry about it.” Leon shakes his head. “I’m set. Just wanted to drop by so I can see and be sure you’re doin’ okay.” He drags a chair from Elliot’s small dining table towards him, flips it backwards and straddles it. He’s quiet for a moment before he nods at Elliot’s tummy.

“You good?”

Elliot gently grabs at his stomach through his shirt. “Doesn’t hurt as much anymore.” He thinks about when Leon first showed up at the hospital. It was nice to have him by his side then, with Angela, and it was nice having him check on him now.

“You eatin’, fatty?” Leon laughs and Elliot smiles, amused by their inside joke.

“Darlene and Angela are making sure I am…” His laughter dies down, and his smile fades. He thinks of Carla. “How is she? Carla?” Something tells him Leon will know.

“Last I heard, she’s doin’ better. Way better.” Leon gets up, and moves to sit next to him. He splays his arms over the back of the couch, like always. “Sun, waves, and sand-in-her-toes better. I’m a lil jealous to be honest with you.” He looks over to see Elliot smile, like he was hoping he would. “You did a lot for her, you know that?”

Elliot knows Leon means well, but instead of it being a heartwarming memory, it unearths a lot of guilt instead. He guesses it’s his fault for bringing it up, really. “I didn’t. Not enough, not as much as I could have-”

“Hey-”

“And it wasn’t just me,” Elliot talks over him, just this one time. He doesn’t want Leon to defend him. “You helped her, too.”

They’re quiet for a while. It’s not awkward, but Elliot feels like both of them want to say something. Leon talks first, as always.

“I’m gonna go.” He holds one of his hands out and waits for Elliot. Like the time they passed adderall under Lone Star’s nose, the shake ends with their fingers locked together. “I’ll see you around, but if everything goes well, that’ll be later rather than sooner.”

He’s supposed to stay out of sight. Something about that disappoints Elliot. When they let go, Elliot’s at a loss with what to do with his hands. He picks at the hem of his shirt.

Leon stands. “Remember to tell that sister of yours to watch herself til I can do something about this.” He crosses the apartment quickly.

When he’s nearly out the door, Elliot wonders out loud, “FBI?”

Leon shakes his head. “Don’t worry about it.” He says it simply, but sincerely. It almost fools Elliot into a sense of security. Almost. “I got it.”

And like that, he’s gone again. Elliot runs a hand back through his hair. He’s grateful Leon came by, but there’s a nagging feeling that Elliot didn’t say enough, do enough. He usually feels like that after talking to people, but he knows better than to feel like that around Leon. Regardless, Elliot’s thankful to have Leon on his side again. He wonders for a while how he managed to get this far without someone like him, then wonders if that was too extreme, if he’s attributing too much to Leon. Maybe. He doesn’t know.

It’s quiet now that Leon’s gone, and Elliot realizes something. Mr. Robot hasn’t shown himself since he’d woken up after being shot. Or maybe Elliot doesn’t remember. Though, he can’t find the itch at the back of his mind that usually makes him aware he’s lost time. That kinetic, agitated part of him feels dormant, lying deep down inside. It’s not a comforting revelation, but it doesn’t bother him either, not for now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank y'all so much for reading!!! <3
> 
> but shouts out again to evrybodysdarlin, i really did love your fic (all of em actually)!  
> and it inspired what this whole mess is about to be!  
> i apologize for it at the same time tho ;o; <333
> 
> if you guys care, the main theme and musical inspiration is this very short beat here:  
> https://soundcloud.com/elifilosov/oneofone


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elliot and Darlene try to address a few things.  
> Leon comes by to get the band back together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wow okayyy so i really hate writing dialogue,  
> like i hate it with my entire being
> 
> enjoy everyone! <3

Darlene comes back before dawn. She makes an attempt at being quiet as she slips in the apartment. When she sees Elliot on the couch with his attention on the laptop again, she raises her eyebrows. “Oh, you’re up?” She shuts the door, locks it, and leans on the coat rack to keep steady as she pulls of her shoes. “You were _out_ when I left. Like, kinda snoring a little bit.” She giggles a little bit, vanishing from his line of sight as she goes to undress.

Snoring? Elliot doesn’t believe her. He doesn’t answer and doesn’t look up. He isn’t sure if he should tell her about Leon coming by. He’s reminded though, of the message he’s supposed to give her. “You’re being followed.”

He hears her off to the side. “By who?”

“I don’t know.”

“Well, who said?”

“Leon.” He looks up when he feels her eyes on him. She’s standing in the arch where the two halves of his apartment meet, pulling on a pair of his socks. When she’s done, she just stares at him blankly. She’s waiting for something.

Irked, she holds her hands out palm-out, narrows her eyes. “Who is that?”

Oh, right. “He’s my friend. He came by to tell me a couple hours ago.”

She doesn’t respond to that, just comes to sit next to him. They sit in silence for a while. Elliot stayed up to be sure she came back safe, but now he’s feeling a little tired.

“A friend, huh?” Darlene watches him nod.

“He said he’ll take care of it. He wants you to be careful.”

Darlene lifts her leg to toe at the laptop on the little table. “Did you want to watch anything?” Elliot shakes his head no. “Are you tired?” No, again. “Mind if I ask you to check something out?”

Elliot steels himself. He thinks he knows where this is going. “What?”

Darlene gets up and walks over to dig her phone out her jacket pocket. She unlocks it, starts scrolling. “This one is more convincing-”

He looks away as she walks over. “Darlene.”

“I’m serious, they’re consistent.” She holds her phone out to him, but he doesn’t take it. Her brows furrow. “I’m _telling_ you, this is Trenton.”

“ _No_.” Elliot stands up, ignores the twist in his chest when he catches her falling face. “I don’t trust it.”

“You didn’t even look!” She throws the phone onto the couch.

“I don’t have to.”

“We _never_ got the chance to find out where Trenton and Mobley went.” Her voice only shakes once, but it doesn’t happen again. She steps up close, lowers her voice. “We didn’t hear anything. And now I’m telling you that one of them could be contacting us and you don’t even care?”

He cares. He does. He’s thought about them. He wants to know just as badly that they’re okay. But the odds draw his fear back, and the paranoia is scratching away at him. He wants to explain to Darlene that’s he’s considered everything. But he needs her to know that fretting over them, won’t bring them back. He’s wearing a jacket he keeps in the back of his closet, he can see the brim of a hat in the peripheral of his vision, and when he speaks to Darlene again, the words aren’t entirely his own.

“When we started this, we _knew_ there’d be casualties.”

He doesn’t know how hard his words hit. Darlene recalls saying something similar when she thought she could have left Vincent to die. It’s horrifying hearing it now in reference to her friends. “Trenton and Mobley are not-”

“They ran. That’s it. You said that detective had everyone on a map? How do you know they’re not the ones asking to see you? That message could be _anyone_.” This is how HE thinks, in circles, in webs, in schemes. It’s the only way he knows how. It’s how he survives. There’s no time in his plan to obsess over Trenton and Mobley. He sees the hard look on Darlene’s face, and tries a softer approach. “It hasn’t been that long since Cisco was killed. I know you want to believe they’re out there, but you’re still grieving. Right now...I’m just worried your judgement is a little off.” He blinks.

Elliot’s looking at his sister and he can’t believe he’s just said that. He would never cast Trenton or Mobley aside like that.

Darlene side steps him and snatches her phone off the couch. “Goodnight.”

* * *

Elliot wakes up later that afternoon when he hears his door slamming shut. Darlene’s got a bunch of plastic bags clutched in her fists. One of them, he notices gratefully, holds the promise of takeout. Elliot moves to help her and winces as his neck and shoulders pinch up. He really has to stop falling asleep on this damn couch. He walks up, rolling the knots out of his shoulder as Darlene pulls off her boots.

He takes half the bags from her and quietly places them on his countertops. He peeks into a few of the bags- sugar, milk, bread, eggs, Totino’s (nice) -before he starts putting stuff away. Darlene joins him, bringing the other bags with her, and they wordlessly split the work. Darlene’s fit all she can in the cabinets and Elliot’s stacking the cereal boxes on top of his microwave when Darlene starts.

“Elliot, and please answer me this time,” Darlene starts, and Elliot knows where this is going. If it’s not Trenton again, then it’s- “Have you been seeing Dad at all?”

He shakes his head, and starts to gather the plastic bags. “Haven’t seen him.”

“Angela finally told me what happened.” Darlene just watches as Elliot tucks the bags under the counter. “You know, she told me Tyrell was really confused before he pulled that trigger. Said you were talking to someone that wasn’t there.”

She’s angry. Elliot can hear her trying to stay patient. She feels slighted, she's his sister and she was the last to hear what happened. He isn’t sure what to say, where to start. Darlene had been a little preoccupied with the FBI when Elliot had been shot. The only people who’d known what had happened to him were Angela, Tyrell, Leon, and White Rose, he guessed. When it was safe for him and Darlene to finally see each other, the explanation just never came up. It stopped being important; there was always something else, something bigger, going on.

There’s a third shadow suddenly cast across the floor. Mr. Robot, inflamed, shows up now. Darlene can’t hear him, not this time, but he alternates between berating Elliot for getting himself into that whole mess or cursing Tyrell for almost ruining his chances at seeing the new world he was building.

Elliot ignores him.

* * *

 

It’s dark outside when Darlene suddenly jumps up from her spot on the couch. He turns around in his desk chair, but she’s too fast for Elliot to ask where she’s going. It worries him, but he figures he’s annoyed her enough and rejects the urge to text her. He’s sure he should, but he stays where is, turns back to his computer. He isn’t sure how much time passes when he hears a knock at his door.

He opens his door and looks up at Leon. It’s only been a day. They exchange nods, then Leon follows him as he walks back to his computer. “Gonna be kinda hard to fix Phase Two without you, cuz.”

Elliot looks up at him as he drops into his desk chair. “What?”

“You didn’t show at the meeting tonight.” Leon’s eyes flick over his face. Something's off. “Didn’t Darlene tell you your girl Trenton’s been trying to reach y’all?”

They look at each other, but Elliot breaks the gaze first. “I didn’t believe her.” He’d wanted to, but Mr. Robot didn’t often let him get his hopes up.

Leon shifts past his desk chair and settles on the edge of his bed. He waits for Elliot to explain, but Elliot’s too relieved.

“She’s okay, then. Trenton.”

Leon nods, feeling like he’s missing something. “Her and the dude. I had to persuade them a bit. I don't think they were too keen on the idea of getting back into all this.”

Elliot turns his body to face him. “ _You_ found them? You brought them back?”

Oh. Leon scratches the back of his head. “Trust me, it wasn’t really my first order of business…” Elliot looks down, picks at one of his thumbs anxiously. Leon bites the inside of his cheek. “Sorry…”

Elliot shakes his head. He’s just glad they’re back. That’s what matters. “What did I miss?”

“A bit of a teary-eyed reunion, and some phase two stuff.” Leon rests his elbows on his knees, folds his hands. “You can do without it I think, for now. They're still down there. Your sister will tell you where your new base is at when she gets back, I guess.”

Elliot nods just to show he's listening.

“Hey,” Leon starts slowly, “So. Tyrell.” Elliot looks up at him curiously, but Leon’s focused on his floor rug. “Don’t really seem like FSociety’s kinda man.”

Elliot isn't sure what to say. Elliot remembers Leon asking him about Tyrell in prison once. He'd thought it was strange then, but now he's a little paranoid Leon had been making a mental file about him.

“What’s he do? With you guys, I mean.” Now Leon looks up.

Leon’s with Dark Army, how doesn’t he know? Compartmentalization, Elliot guesses.

“He…” Elliot locks eyes with Leon again, and the rest of his sentence dissolves under Leon’s stare. There's something there that's determined in the worst way. Elliot instinctively clutches at his healing stomach. Leon notices. Right. The death threats back at White Rose’s clinic; he can’t tell him. But he knows Leon’s already put it together. “It’s nothing.”

Leon backs down, but the energy between them is disturbed. Leon’s not annoyed, but he’s disappointed. There’s something between them now, and for some reason it bugs Elliot. He wants to take it back.

“Remember I told you it was complicated?”

Leon looks at him, ready to listen. Elliot’s never backtracked like this to explain. He nods once, barely. “Yeah. It’s about him?” That’s minimizing by a bit much, but Elliot’ll take it. He nods. Leon takes a deep breath. “Okay…” He runs his hands together slowly, then folds them with finality. “Okay,” he repeats, quieter this time. “Did _he_ shoot you?” He knows the answer, but he still wants to hear it.

Elliot’s hand goes for his stomach, again. It doesn’t even hurt anymore. He makes a fist and presses into the chair to stop himself. “I…” It’s just not as simple as that. He wants to explain, like he said he would. He does. Like how he’s told Angela, and told Darlene, and how he gave the book to Carla, or how Ray found it. Leon...Leon of all people still didn’t know, didn’t _get_ it. Tyrell didn’t know either, and he guesses that’s what got him into this mess. Leon still hasn’t spoken. “Not right now.”

“Alright, cuz.” Leon doesn’t sound mad. He looks over at the kitchen and gets up. “Have you eaten?”

Elliot pauses to think.

Leon’s already opening the fridge, but he still pointlessly asks, “You got anything in here?”

Elliot relocates to the couch. “Yeah.” He’s in the mood for something more instant, though. “There’s leftover takeout, too...bottom shelf. Darlene ordered it today. It’s good.” He isn’t sure why he felt compelled to share that last bit.

Leon makes some kind of happy sound. “That’ll do.” He pulls some of the takeout from the fridge, two styrofoam containers in either hand. He stares at the lids, but doesn’t find any names written on them. “Either of these hers?”

Elliot shakes his head.

“I think this is actually gonna be our first time eating together out of prison, Elliot.” Leon chuckles and it has a contagious effect. The laughter doesn’t quite make it past his own lips as he watches Leon load the containers into the microwave, but he’s entertained anyhow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> door. couch. door. couch.
> 
> ALSO anything that happens in the same chapter takes place in the same day!
> 
> thank you so much for reading! lemme know what you think!  
> i truly do appreciate and love hearing from y'all! <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mr. Robot's getting impatient. Leon does it again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> we're done with being stranded at the apartment after this chapter, i swear  
> it's like 2 am here yo, i'm just @ myself like "post this shit"

Darlene pulls out her phone as she closes the apartment door behind her. 3 AM. All of the lights are off, save the one above the counters, casting a hazy glow over the kitchen. She doesn’t see Elliot on the couch this time and is satisfied when she peeks to find him in bed, the sheets drawn up over his shoulders.

She wants to talk to him about the meeting, but she wants him to sleep more. Things still weren’t great, and there was still a lot of work they had to do, but just knowing that she hadn’t lost Trenton and Mobley too was just enough for her. The meeting had been a lot of recap, and some reassurances that none of them still had feds tracking them. Trenton and Mobley had left by the time Angela and Tyrell had found the time to show up. Darlene hadn’t been keen on staying with those two for longer than she needed to. Call it petty but she was still working on getting over what happened.

Her walk back was peppered with watchers. She felt it. Eyes following her every move, that looming sense of danger that seemed to make the sidewalks stretch to infinity under its gravity. Every block she passed felt like a small victory.

She thinks about what Elliot said, how his friend said to be careful. Leon, right? The same Leon that had been at the meeting? Who _was_ he, anyway? How does Elliot know him? Darlene feels so worried about everything. She doesn’t feel like thinking about it anymore. What does she feel like doing? Eating. That Chinese she got her and Elliot the other day sounded _real_ good right about now. She crosses the room and opens the fridge door, squinting against the light. Her eyes scan the shelves, but she doesn’t find her takeout box. Elliot’s is gone, too.

In just a few quick steps, she’s by the corner of Elliot’s bed. When she swats at him, she doesn’t care what part she hits, but she hopes it’s his head. “Thanks for eating my stuff, dickhead.” She’d really wanted him to rest but shit, fair’s fair.

Elliot groggily sits up as Darlene crosses the apartment back into the kitchen. She starts pulling stuff out the cabinets and sets herself in front of the stove. By the time Elliot’s on his feet and beside her, she’s halfway through stirring the mixture for pancakes. Quick and easy.

“You want one?” Darlene asks him, watching him stare as the mix evens out.

“Two.” Elliot tests her, his voice is gruff with sleep.

“You get _one_ , you hungry fucking hippo.” Darlene snaps as Elliot turns away, laughing softly. Pouring batter into the pan, she glances at the takeout styrofoam.

“As cool as it is to see you eating again,” and she means it, “how did you even put that much away?” There was a lot left over. And though he is doing better with meals, Elliot still doesn’t eat _that_ much.

“My friend Leon ate yours, actually.” Elliot didn’t have the heart to tell him once he realized.

This guy again. “Leon was here?” She thinks before turning over the pancake. “He was at the meeting last night. Stayed kinda to himself. Tall and black, with dreadlocks right?” She watches Elliot nod, starts another pancake. “He brought Trenton and Mobley in actually, and just left us alone. They seemed a little scared by him. They didn’t talk to him. I figured we were just supposed to act like he wasn’t there.”

Elliot rubs his eyes. Darlene doesn’t know Leon was the one who was sent to hunt them down. Or maybe she does, Trenton and Mobley would have told her. Anyway, it’s nothing to worry about anymore, Elliot knows Leon wouldn’t hurt them.

“He kinda just disappeared a little after we got started. He kept opening and closing the door, like he was checking for something. He left, but apparently, he came _here_.” She looks at him, but Elliot’s in his head, thinking. “Guessing that’s when you two ate.” Darlene hands him his singular pancake.

Elliot snaps out of his wondering. He nods. Darlene grabs the syrup from the upper cabinets.

“Well, at least I know what he looks like now.” She leans against the counter, takes a bite. “And you said he’s your friend?”

Something about the way she says it makes Elliot nervous. Why have they been talking about this so long? What’s she trying to say? “Did something happen?” he asks.

“You mean besides how fuckin spooked Trent and Tubbs were? No. But…” She’s hesitant. Her and Angela aren’t seeing eye to eye but she still cares about her opinion, really. “Angela didn’t seem happy to see him either.”

Elliot looks away. “They’ve met.” He hadn’t wanted to say much at the hospital - he hadn’t really had the energy, he was just grateful they were there at all - but he could tell Angela and Leon had some static between one another. He was hoping it’d work itself out.

“Yeah, I figured. Look, if Angela doesn’t trust someone, I wouldn’t.”

“No, they just got off on the wrong foot. He’s…” Elliot trailed off, not sure what to say next. He guesses he can see how confusing all this is. Angela, Darlene, and FSociety have all been in this together since the beginning. After everything that’s happened, he can see why they’d be wary of Leon. Angela and Leon both mean well, they just haven’t had the time to really know one another.

“Whoa…” Darlene sets her plate down on the counter behind her. “Okay, you can tell me. You know that right?”

“No, I just…” Elliot shakes his head. When he glances at Darlene again, something clicks and he realizes they’ve come to two different conclusions. “Wait. What? Tell you what?”

Darlene rolls her eyes. “This guy comes outta nowhere, for one.” She starts counting on her fingers. “ _Ange_ doesn’t like him, he’s dropping by when I’m not around to, what, just _eat food?_ Really, Elliot?” Oh. Two _very_ different conclusions. “You can tell me if-”

“No, it’s really not like that.” He knows how it sounds as soon as he says it (unconvincing as fuck) and he kicks himself for not saying something less _stupid_.

“Whatever, don’t tell me about your boyfriend.” She shrugs, then moves to claim the laptop. “But don’t let him eat my stuff again."

 

* * *

 

Neither of them can really get to sleep so they stay up. Darlene pulls up a playlist on the laptop, and every once in awhile, Elliot makes a request. Darlene ropes him into a bunch of hand games that Elliot is admittedly really bad at. But it makes her laugh when he messes up the counts, so he keeps playing. The sun’s been up for a while by the time Darlene goes to undress and hop in the shower. To repay her for the pancake, Elliot decides it’s his turn to make actual breakfast.

He’s done the eggs (which he’s skeptical of cause Darlene always says he uses too much salt) and the sausage, and is just slipping the bread in the toaster when there’s knocking at the door. Elliot answers it.

“It’s bad, isn’t it?” He’s looking up at Leon. Leon’s silence is telling.

The bathroom door opens, and Darlene steps out, wrapped up in her towel. Leon turns his head respectfully. She stops when she sees them. “What’s this?” Her voice is teasing, and Elliot gives her a look.

Leon tucks his hands into his hoodie pockets. “The guys following your sister, I was finally told what’s up with ‘em.” He glances over at Darlene. “You’re in danger.”

“If it’s FBI I already dealt with them, I can handle that.” She moves to grab her serving in the kitchen.

Leon moves past Elliot. “Naw, it’s some hired help. I think they’re planning to make a move soon.”

Darlene doesn't try to imagine what that could mean. She ignores the fear building up, drops onto the couch. “Are you watching us?”

“I’m watching him.” Leon points his thumb back at Elliot. “Watching you, by extension.”

“Thanks, but I can look out for myself.” She doesn’t want to be difficult, but she doesn’t want Leon to think she’s as quick to rely on him as Elliot is. One of them had to be wary.

Elliot steps forward. “Darlene-”

“Fine.” Darlene eyes Leon. “So, what, am I on house arrest or something?”

“That'd be safest until me and my guys can get rid of them.”

Darlene sees Elliot recoil at that, for some reason. Leon doesn’t catch it, but he does watch Elliot walk away to get breakfast. Darlene looks between them.

“There’s extra,” she offers Leon. “If you want it.”

He stays. He and Elliot park it at the round table and eat quietly (if you don’t count Leon’s rambling). Darlene wants to take this as a chance to probe at Leon some more, but she can admit it’s nice to have someone here that Elliot’s this comfortable around. Lately, he’d been walking on eggshells around the people he cared the most about. Darlene keeps herself busy on her phone, but when she does try and listen to Leon spouting his stream of consciousness, she just hears him mentioning a lot of tv. When she actually looks up, she catches him passing half his breakfast to Elliot with a quiet laugh. That makes Darlene raise her eyebrows. Leon sees her do it, but misreads it.

“I’ll let you know when you’re good to go.” He’s standing up. Elliot goes with him, and they shake. For some reason, Darlene’s “boyfriend” comment flits through his mind. He pulls his hand away quick, like he’s worried the thought will transfer to Leon by contact. Leon notices, looks down at him curiously. “Thanks for breakfast.” Elliot gathers up the plates while Darlene moves to go get dressed. When Leon notices what she’s doing, he uses that as his excuse to leave.

“Hey, Leon.” Darlene stops him just as he’s shutting the door. He pokes his head back in to listen. “Thanks. Even tho you ate my fucking food the other day.”

“Yeah, Elliot said I could,” Leon responds quick, and it’s all the warning Elliot gets before he shuts the door. Of course he pinned the blame on him and left him to fend off Darlene on his own. He’s not even surprised, though. Leon had a bit of a mischievous streak back in jail, too. Elliot’s already preparing himself as Darlene sucks her teeth. He doesn’t interrupt when Darlene starts arguing with him about boundaries (but he does bring up her breaking into his apartment first), and he definitely doesn’t laugh when she grumbles about writing her name on the food (but he points out she never marked the box).

 

* * *

 

That night, Elliot’s woken up by a forceful shake. He sits up immediately, his blank dreams tearing from his mind and shoving him back into reality. Next to him, Darlene’s still asleep, untroubled. The room’s bathed in a blue-white glow, and Elliot turns to see Mr. Robot sitting in his desk chair, the computer alive behind him.

“Hey, kiddo.” Mr. Robot’s agitated, and it’s not just evident in his mocking voice. Elliot feels the dormant anxiety scratching across his skin. He won’t entertain it. He starts to lie back, carefully drags the sheets back again. He doesn’t make a sound when he’s yanked back up and dragged to his feet by the front of his shirt. Mr. Robot releases him roughly. “It’s not like there’s anything productive goin’ on behind those lids of yours when you close them. This is the best time to talk to you.”

This is what Elliot’s been worried about. Mr. Robot only attacks when he lets his guard down. But he’s tried the no-sleeping thing before, remember?

“I’m working on a new plan, there’s nothing to talk about.” Elliot barely gets the words out. He doesn’t want to engage.

“Oh, I think there’s _plenty_ to talk about.” Mr. Robot sinks back into the chair, looking up at him. “How far along are you? The window to intercept the backups is closing.”

Elliot shakes his head. “It’s slow, but it’s less risky.” When Mr. Robot sucks his teeth, Elliot stares at him, stunned. “You would have killed so many people. Innocent people-”

“Elliot?” Darlene’s voice feels like a punitive strike. He even winces. He’s silent when he turns around. She’s pushing herself up, looking for him in the dark. “What are you doing?” He still hasn’t said anything by the time her eyes adjust. He’s just standing there. After waiting for an answer, and not getting one, Darlene asks, “Are you seeing Dad again?”

She’s asking cause she knows, probably heard him talking the whole time. This time, Elliot just nods. He shuffles to the edge of the bed and sits down. He doesn’t say anything else, and neither does Darlene. Elliot isn’t sure how long they sit in silence, but he breaks it when he yawns. “I’m tired,” he mumbles, and clambers back under the sheets. It’s a while after he settles that he finally feels Darlene get comfortable on the other side, and soon, she’s asleep. He’s grateful she didn’t ask to talk about it. He doesn’t want to worry her with it. He wants to try to control this.

 

* * *

 

Leon is walking through one of White Rose’s bases. He didn’t see her, but he dropped off five cell phones and wallets that belonged to the guys tailing Darlene. They’d been easy to get rid of. He doesn’t have a scratch on him, but the front of his jacket is stained with blood. Some of it hasn’t soaked in; it drips down thick and pools in the folds. He doesn’t look at it.

His mind isn’t here, in these halls. It’s elsewhere. He’s stuck between replaying what he’s done tonight, and trying to remember what greater good he’s done it for. He needs to leave, because here? With these gray walls, and hushed conversations behind bolted doors, and the delicate steps of other Dark Army members passing him by, with nothing to _do_ \- there’s nothing to focus on, nothing to distract him.

On his way out, he sees Angela. She’s sitting on a chair, waiting. They stare at each other. He watches her eyes take in the evidence of his crime on his jacket. She’s silent. He’s silent.

Leon sets his jaw and gathers his senses. He reminds himself that he’s leaving this base, stepping outside this fabricated, controlled environment and back into the real world, full of variables and inconsistencies. He needs his head on straight.

A man rounds the corner just as Leon starts walking; he has light colored hair, dyed probably, he only comes up to Leon’s shoulder, and he has a rag in one hand. He walks right up to Leon, places his hands to his chest to stop him. The man says something in Chinese and Leon freezes. The man signals, and two more men come from around the corner. They’re wearing masks that cover their face and gloves. They carefully unzip Leon’s bloodied jacket, peel it from him. They take his headband, too. Leon’s breathing deeply, his chest swelling, and his hands clench when the man who stopped him reaches up to clean his face. The man speaks a few more words, to which Leon responds quietly, too quietly for Angela to hear, and then the men leave.

Angela watches them disappear down the hall. When she looks back, Leon’s turning the opposite corner, leaving. Someone clears their throat, and Angela whips her head around again in the other direction.  
There’s a man in a suit and a blue ring on his finger looking at her expectantly. When she was escorted here about a half hour ago, her guides had spoken to this man before disappearing. “I’m here to see White Rose.” The man simply nods and motions for Angela to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyy you've reached the end again!  
> thank you very, very much for reading! <3  
> let me know what you think!
> 
> ALSO we're all like darlene, we all spend forever undressed after we get out the shower


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We miss the arcade, Elliot's all work and no play, Mr. Robot's Mad™, and Leon shows Elliot a piece of his past.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i dunno shit about new york y'all, sorry i'm a philly kid
> 
> also i realized i never explained how i thought darlene got away from the fbi, sorry about that!  
> i was talking with my sisters and we figured Agent Dom's boss is actually Dark Army  
> so he got Darlene out somehow, SABOTAGE  
> his excuses are always too convenient and he's literally always on the verge of dismantling the case,  
> like he's either DA or just a mad shitty boss
> 
> also big ups to the all the homies in the Elleon tag on tumblr i love all the headcanons and art, etc <3
> 
> anyways please enjoy the chapter!

The new working base is in a forgotten mid-size storage warehouse on the Red Hook waterfront. The two garage doors on its front were long since bolted down; anyone going in or out used a door off to its side. It’s nothing like Fun Society, that nostalgic little arcade with all its neon lights and popcorn machine. This warehouse is a little grey, with some computer setups and a screen with a projector, not much in way of decoration at all, aside from some pretty neat but faded graffiti. It has an iron stairwell that leads to an open second level that traces the perimeter. Its outside was chipping away and made it easy to ignore. Darlene had taken to calling it the Barn.

Darlene and Trenton are the only ones present right now. When they arrived, light flooded through the high windows at the height of the afternoon, but now they’re bathed in thrown shadows as the evening draws close.

Darlene was given the okay to travel a few days ago; Leon had fixed her little problem in only a few hours after confining her to Elliot’s apartment, but had to be sure no replacements would be sent after her trackers’ culling. It feels good to be able to walk relatively free again, stretch her legs. That creepy feeling of being watched is gone and Elliot doesn’t have that sickly worried face anymore when she wants to step out. When she met up with Trenton on the subway, she would’ve thrown her arms around the girl had it not been for the congested train car they were standing in. Trenton couldn’t stop smiling.

They stopped for pizza at a little family-run shop before stopping at the warehouse. There were already some Dark Army guys there, just standing around, but Darlene relaxed when she saw Leon outside the door. He greeted them quietly, and once they were inside, Darlene reassured Trenton that Leon was okay.

They’ve been working silently for a while now, aside from Darlene noisily draining the last of her fountain soda just to tick Trenton off. When Trenton stops running data just to shoot her a look, Darlene finally quits it, satisfied. She watches her friend get back to work.

Darlene won’t push her to talk, but there’s something she’s been wondering since Trenton and Mobley had returned. “Did you give up?” It’s not a threat, it’s not even challenging. Trenton and Mobley had gotten _out_. She just has to know they weren’t forced back into it. Not that she’s the poster child for this whole thing or anything, but this revolution really only needs people who aren’t afraid to...commit.

Ever quiet, Trenton’s response almost gets lost in Darlene’s thoughts. “I almost did.”

The statement doesn’t shock Darlene. She understands. It got scary, what happened after the hack. She truly doesn’t blame Trenton, or Mobley, especially since whatever they did kept them alive in the end.

“Are you okay?” Trenton asks again.

Darlene just looks at her. Trenton returns the gaze. They don’t say anything, and Darlene never answers. Trenton looks at the jacket Darlene is wearing.

It’s one of Cisco’s. It had taken a lot to get it, but in the end the feds were just gonna toss all his stuff anyway. It fits a little big on her, but it’s one of her favorites that he had, a dark colored bomber jacket that Darlene knows is dark green but Elliot insists it’s just black (but he can’t see colors for shit and that’s probably why he doesn’t wear any). The sleeves are black, yeah, but nothing else.

Leon comes in looking for something that he finds on the upper level. A few Dark Army guys follow him in, but they linger when he leaves. A couple of them even sit down. Trenton’s gotten stony like she does when she’s terrified. Darlene elbows her. “Come on,” she stands up. “Smoke break.”

* * *

The warehouse is now empty aside from Elliot. He’s in the dark, the bleak light of faraway street lamps trying to reach through the windows. The quiet is immense, but it’s comforting. He’s trying to stay focused, he can’t meet with the group just yet. Not until he's sure he can handle this without Mr. Robot interfering. He also isn’t sure if he can face Tyrell and the impending conversation that goes with that.

He is working diligently until he hears the door. He assumes it’ll be Leon but-

“Do you like this?” Mr. Robot’s voice breaks the silence. “Cause I don’t.” His voice starts out conversational, misleadingly inviting.

Elliot tries to ignore him.

“We’re starting from _scratch_.” He states the obvious, and when Elliot still doesn’t react he flares up. “We had a perfectly sound plan until you tried to be the boss. Should’ve just played your part.” Once he called him a leader, now he’s pressing that he’s a cog? “Look where we are now. What’s that people say about 10 steps back?”

Elliot doesn’t respond, but the words sink in. He’s stopped typing. He feels it, he feels the dragging of time, the opposition of another wall of time rushing to meet them. Deadlines. Expectations. Plans.

“This is so slow!” Mr. Robot growls, throwing his hands in the air. It makes Elliot jump. He tries to think of this in terms of layers, steady, a process, step-by-step. But even he can’t deny the complete gap between a plan that’s done and a plan that’s just beginning. He’s frustrated but doesn’t want to give in.

“How long are you gonna keep hindering me, yourself?” Right, cause they’re the same. “Your friends? Everyone else who jumped into this because you said to?” Back to insinuating that he is a leader. “You’re gonna throw away all that work, all those lives? Or do you need reminding of Dark Army’s body count-”

“ _Stop_.” Elliot has to cut him off there. Mr Robot’s hit a nerve and he knows it. Elliot is still trying to reconcile the deaths with his deeds. He isn’t sure how much this is worth anymore. Especially after coming so close to death himself, he isn’t even sure if this revolution _needs_ him.

The door sounds again, and this time Leon does walk through it.

“I thought I’d find you in here.” He doesn’t turn the lights on, just navigates quietly through the dark.

Elliot doesn’t say anything, he doesn’t look at Leon either. Mr. Robot’s gone. Leon takes his place, pulls up a chair.

“How long are you staying in here? Do you sleep?” Elliot can’t tell if it’s a serious question or a joke. Leon doesn’t laugh. “Darlene and Trenton were here earlier.”

Elliot looks at him, but still doesn’t say anything. He knows Leon doesn’t expect him to say anything back, but he’s talking and Elliot feels that push to respond in some way. He can’t just engage Leon after thinking about _Gideon, Romero, Shayla, Cisco_. He wants to, but he can’t. Elliot stares into the light of the screen, but his hands still don’t move.

Leon waits to hear the tapping of keys, but when he doesn’t, he takes initiative. He smacks at Elliot’s shoulder with the back of his hand. “I think you need a break.”

Elliot can’t lie about that. Leon stands up, makes it all the way to the door before Elliot finally gets up to join him. They leave.

* * *

It’s pretty desolate by the waterfront this time of night. The only people out quickly dart into homes, or are homeless, or gathered in groups in front of the little bars scattered around. Elliot walks beside Leon, who sometimes breaks from the pavement to tread in the street, just because he can. Both of them have their hoods up; it's been raining lightly, on and off. At some point, Elliot realizes Leon's got a new hoodie. He didn't notice in the dark earlier, but this one's like brand new, a gray and white one. Adidas, of course. It's not a huge thing really, it's just that Elliot's been so used to seeing the other one and it's been weird not seeing it for so many days. Maybe it got dirty. Or maybe Leon just needed a change up. He's got no room to comment really, he wears the same hoodie all the time, too.

“You stopped dreaming, cuz?”

Leon’s question tugs Elliot out of his thoughts. Dreaming? Right, envisioning what he wants, fighting for his future. He didn’t expect Leon to remember that whole thing, much less bring it up again. He thinks about it. He guesses he did, he _knows_ he did.

He doesn’t have to say it out loud, though. “That’s the thing about dreaming, Elliot. You gotta keep doing it even when I’m not around to tell you to.” He laughs, and Elliot’s not sure if it’s _at_ him. It’s soothing to him anyway. “But really, you gotta hold on to it. It’s important.” This is one of Leon’s more serious moments. Elliot’s listening well. “You can’t let what’s outside influence what you want on the outside. You should only change your motive if you want to.”

Elliot asks a question this time, takes a risk. “What do you dream about?” It feels wrong to ask.

“A fair world,” Leon answers resolutely.

It’s vague, but Elliot guesses it’s an answer. Elliot wonders what’s fair in Leon’s mind. Where did murder lie? He guessed Leon had made his peace with that, but still…

It leads him to his next question. “Would you have killed Trenton and Mobley?”

“No.” He sounds sure. “I don’t think that was ever her real intention, anyway.”

Her? Right. White Rose. His next question’s been brewing in the pit of his stomach. It crawls up his throat, nearly suffocates him. It stalls behind his teeth, and barely makes it out. “Would...you ever…”

Leon catches on quick, doesn’t let him finish. “No.”

Leon’s in the street, paused in his skirting around a puddle. Elliot’s on the pavement. They’re staring at each other, again. Somehow they always end up doing this, and it makes Elliot feel like these are moments in their own time. If he could separate them, puzzle-piece them together the way they belong, he wonders what he’d find, cause these silences are saying something he can’t read in between everything else going on in his life.

And they’re still standing here. Leon doesn’t want to move before Elliot. Elliot doesn’t want to move. God, what did he expect? Asking a question like that? _Would you ever kill me?_ Anyone would act like Leon in this situation, it’s not exactly light conversation. The distance between them feels more than physical, and Leon’s own question is a struggle to release. “Are you scared of me?”

“I’m scared of losing anymore people…” Elliot has to be honest this time. “The Dark Army took Cisco.” Elliot realizes he hasn’t ever said that out loud. Suddenly he feels bad for Darlene. “He was one of ours.”

This conversation was bound to happen. It doesn’t hurt any less. Elliot’s heart still beats too quick for comfort.

Leon still doesn’t take a step. “I didn’t do that.”

Elliot considers what’s realistic, what he’s scared of. “But if you were ordered to-”

“I wouldn’t.”

Frustrated, Elliot shakes his head. “But Cisco _was_ Dark Army and they still…” He can’t keep saying it like this. Leon’s not getting it. It’s weird like that; sometimes Leon’s wise beyond his years and other times he misses the fine print. Elliot stops to take in a breath that hitches partway. Fuck, he’s nervous. “You make one wrong move, how do you know they won’t take you, too?”

“I know what I signed up for.”

He answered too fast. Elliot’s afraid Leon really doesn’t get it, not completely. But he’s still there. He’s waiting. For a second Elliot thinks this could be a trap, that at the end of the block he’ll be killed, and he should have never left the warehouse. In half that time, he’s afraid, and in half _that_ time, he just accepts it. Leon still doesn’t move, but he’s looking elsewhere. Elliot calms down, scraps the trap idea. That’s _Mr. Robot_ thinking. He thinks maybe now, _now_ he should tell Leon. Finally get rid of the complicated story between them. But Leon’s too fast for him.

“I was just thinking about how I’ve met your sister, and you two are so different…” Leon shakes his head, laughs a little like he’s recalling a memory. “You ain’t met my sisters. I think they’d like you. Not sure _when_ I’d ever be able to introduce you, but...someday, cuz.”

It’s a weird subject change, a personal one. Makes up a little bit for Leon’s vague dream. Elliot starts walking and Leon does too. He’s glad for the silence, it’s companionable. Elliot’s thoughts are still heavy however. _I know what I signed up for._ Elliot knows there’s still a lot he doesn’t know about Leon.

* * *

There’s a pat at his shoulder and when Elliot looks up, he’s staring at an old pawn shop across the street. What are they doing here? Elliot follows Leon around past the old knick knacks to the back of the shop, where the register is. There’s a man there, and he greets Leon with a nod, but doesn’t look at Elliot. There’s a door behind the checkout, and they go down into the basement. Downstairs, there’s a sparse office, with a bathroom and lots of storage cabinets. There’s another door; this room looks livable. There’s a couch that doubles as a fold-out bed. There’s a tv, computer, games, movies, a bunch of shit- but no photos.

“This place yours?” Elliot wonders out loud.

“From when I was real younger, yeah.” Leon responds. “But not now. This was one of the places I stayed. I moved around with them a lot.” He glances around. “They probably moved someone else in by now.”

Leon always talks so vague about himself. It makes Elliot itch for details. He wants to know how long Leon’s been with the Dark Army. Leon starts to dig around the room. He picks up a game console- Elliot isn’t sure which it is. He hasn’t played games in a while. He checks to see if it works. It does, but he puts it back anyway, mumbling. He picks up some dvd cases and brandishes them too quick for Elliot to read the titles. He stuffs the boxes under his arm and turns back out. Elliot follows. As they leave the pawn shop and get further down the street, Elliot feels as if what just happened was a dream. Did Leon really used to live there?

“What are we doing?” Elliot’s not even sure why he asks the question. Tonight’s just been a lot.

“I told you cuz, you need a break.”

* * *

In his apartment, Elliot’s sitting on his couch, watching Leon slip the movie he chose into the laptop. The other rejected dvds are stacked on Elliot’s desk. He wonders how they got here, really. He hasn’t lost time, in fact he remembers every second he’s spent with Leon tonight, but it all feels so strange that he might as well have.

“The Lost Boys…” Leon’s reading the back of the case. “I never watched a lot of the movies they gave me. It’s easier for me to get into tv shows, I have more time to decide and stuff.” His brows lower as he finishes the description. “Is this really that good? It’s like, what, vampires-”

“I liked it growing up.” Elliot shrugs. He’s curious what Leon’s going to think of this one.

Leon smirks at him, teasing. “It’s like a top fave, then?”

It is, but Elliot’s not going to give him that information to hang over his head later if he thinks the movie’s shit. “Nah I wouldn’t say top fave, but I mean…I think you should see it. Just once.”

Leon spreads his arms across the back of the couch. He’s not touching him but it makes Elliot feel protected anyway. “ _Alright_ , man, well-”

“And don’t talk through it,” Elliot warns him halfheartedly, leaning forward to press play.

“Oh, for real?” Leon leans away from him, but he still laughs, not insulted in the slightest. “See, that’s the other thing. People will _really_ kill you for talking during a movie, bro. Nobody cares if you talk through a show.” Leon should never watch anything with Darlene, then. “Movies take themselves so seriously.” He makes a few jokes through the dated previews that make Elliot honestly laugh a bit, but he quiets down when the movie actually starts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you guys very much for reading! i really appreciate the support!  
> drop a comment and tell me what you think! <3
> 
> and we've officially got a chapter count for the fic! 10 chapters! maybe 11!!!  
> i have up to 6 planned and outlined, but after that, i'm lost haha  
> i'll try and get that blank space sorted out so there isn't a hiatus while i figure it out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pepperoni pie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyyy you guys are so fuckin awesome man!!!  
> thank y'all so much for keeping up with this silly lil story, i appreciate it!!! ;o;
> 
> y'all know the deal, just act like any typos you see don't actually exist lmao

There’s a very short time where Elliot’s in a room. It’s cramped, and the walls are uncolored. He’s in a chair in a corner, across from him is a door but he knows instinctively that there’s nothing behind it so he doesn’t try it. He stays seated. There’s a ceiling light casting a weak glow, he knows it’s there but he doesn’t look. He stays staring at the door.

The light slowly grows in intensity, but Elliot still doesn’t look. In fact, he leans forward, hunches over, stares at his feet. The light begins to flicker, irritatingly, before blacking out finally. It leaves Elliot in darkness. It comes back on just as Elliot’s starting to feel thankful for it being gone, and this time he feels compelled to look up, just to admonish it with a glare.

When he looks up though, he sees the ceiling plastered in photos. They’re static, and dark, like I.D. photos. His eyes find Darlene first, just out of familiarity, but he sees Angela, and then Trenton. There’s Mobley, Tyrell, Bill, Colby, Ray, Leon, Romero, and Carla. Everyone, and then some; there’s a bunch of people he remembers only vaguely, a woman from a gas station he caught a glimpse of once, the Coney skater kids, a man who’d been browsing at the pet shop one time he was fetching Qwerty’s dinner.

There’s one of himself. It’s the one Elliot sees last. He doesn’t even recognize his own face. The light goes out above him again and doesn’t come back on.

 

Elliot wakes up slowly to the sound of someone moving through the apartment. He sits up, swiftly but silently, and sees Darlene fall into his bed. His mouth is still too fuzzy for him to ask her anything before she goes to sleep. The lights are off, but the apartment’s lit warmly by the daylight coming in. Beside him, Leon’s asleep. He’s leaning against the arm of the couch, one leg drawn up on the cushions. It doesn’t look comfortable, but he’s as still as dead as he sleeps.

On the table in front of them, the laptop screen is black, the charge light blinking orange. The dvd case in on the floor beside Flipper’s bowls. Elliot realizes he doesn’t remember seeing the credits roll. Shit. Leon had gone out of his way to be nice or whatever, and Elliot had just kinda passed out. He hoped Leon wouldn’t be mad.

Elliot leans back into the couch, rolls his shoulders. He stretches his legs under the table. He feels so heavy. He turns his head to look at Leon again, wonders why he didn’t just leave once the movie was over. Also, Leon’s back is going to hurt when he wakes up. He’s really too big to have curled up on the thing like this. Elliot watches the dust float around in the window light past Leon’s head until he falls asleep again.

 

* * *

 

He doesn’t dream this time. He wakes up out of a void to Darlene shaking him awake.

“Come on, bro. You’ve been sleep all day.” When he opens his eyes, he sees his apartment’s a little dim. A couple of his lights are on. “Mobley let us have the rest of his pizza.” Darlene snickers as she slide the box on the counter by the oven. “That’s _rare_.”

Elliot glances over as he comes to. The far side of the couch is empty. “Where’s Leon?”

“I didn’t see when he left.” Darlene’s setting slices of pizza on paper plates for them. “He was at the barn when I went to help Trenton and Mobley, though.”

Elliot nods absentmindedly, looking at their private little movie setup again. It was nice to have done that. He’d like to watch another movie again. Out the corner of his eye, he sees movement. The far side of the couch is now taken by Mr. Robot. His arms are folded and he’s looking straight ahead. He’s pissed, but silent, and that makes him easier for Elliot to ignore.

“Yeah, he seemed pretty well-rested. I guess you didn’t keep him up too much.”

Elliot ignores her laugh, definitely ignores how his face heats up at that comment, and stands to pop his joints. Mr. Robot still doesn’t speak.

“Really though, when are you gonna come down to the barn with me?” Darlene holds out his two pieces of pepperoni pie, and watches him take it gently. “I can’t keep doing this relay thing. It would move a faster if you worked with us. It’s your plan anyway.”

He stacks his slices and takes a massive bite, using his full mouth as an excuse not to answer. Really, he’s worried about bringing Mr. Robot into the warehouse with him. He glances back at Mr. Robot on the couch. Elliot just feels like he’s waiting for something, biding his time. He doesn’t trust him after how massively deceived he was a few months ago. Elliot doesn’t know what he’s planning, and refuses to rope anyone else in, especially not Leon.

Darlene waits for him to choke down that mouthful. “How about today?”

“I can’t.” He goes back to his computer, starts checking on his progress.

Holding back an aggravated groan, Darlene takes his abandoned spot on the couch.

 

* * *

 

It’s been a relatively quiet hour when Leon finally leaves the alley he’s been staking out in. The area around Elliot’s apartment had been clear, as far as he could see. He finds a black van parked under a small bridge a few blocks away. Sitting inside are two unmasked Dark Army soldiers. Leon settles into the passenger seat and hands his phone to the guy sitting in the back seat. The phone’s a throwaway, tapped to pick up anything of interest running through the channels in a set radius. Leon can’t be everywhere at once, and this helps them collect or scramble any hidden interference. It hasn’t found anything weird in a while, and Leon really wishes they wouldn’t bother him to bring it.

On the slow drive back to base, Leon glances out the window as they pass the area Tyrell’s supposed to be kept. He’s got people tracking him for safety, too, but when Leon sees a shadow dart down a backstreet as the headlights swivel in the turn, he doesn’t like the alarms going off in his head. He taps his driver’s shoulder.

“Yo, brake.” He hops out before the van comes to a complete stop. He dips swiftly into the dark of the roads as the headlights go out. He’s as silent as he can manage. He feels for his pocket knife as he rounds the corner he’d seen the drifter vanish. It’s a dead end, a gated off grassy plot. From here, Tyrell’s alleged hideaway is maybe a block away. Doesn’t seem like a coincidence.

Leon feels the two other soldiers behind him. He turns around and motions for them to go intercept closer to Tyrell’s location. When they race off mutely, he frisks the area again. There’s an iron ladder discarded on the other side of the fence. When Leon looks up, he notes the fire escape going down the side of one of the buildings is missing its last one. It’s an isolated, old and abandoned row home. Its windows and door are all boarded up, but Leon knows this guy is in there. He throws his weight on the weathered planks and shoves his way in.

It’s impossibly dark outside the ring of streetlight bleeding in through the doorway. Leon’s still. There’s a weak scrabbling above him (rats), a constant muffled churning sound around him (old pipes), and finally, what he wants to hear- a creak of floorboard. Leon stalks up the dirty, carpeted stairs. His heart beats rapidly against his slow and even pace, but he turns the knife over in his hand, willing his pulse to settle. He needs to be ready.

On the second floor, there’s three rooms, all missing their doors. They’re lit faintly by the street lamps outside. Leon blinks and pauses on the landing to think which room would have been set to face the fire escapes. When he figures it out, he slinks it the room. Immediately there’s a shout from the corner of the room, and whoever he’s been hunting down rushes at him. Leon’s quicker, and in one strike, he has his knife lodged in the man’s arm. He’s put off just long enough for Leon to strike him down to the floor.

He’s an easy takedown, and doesn’t fight as Leon drags him out the house. They’re on the front steps when he finally decides to put up a struggle, as the two soldiers come rounding the corner. He heaves his weight back against Leon in an attempt to throw him off balance, but the soldiers rush forward to slam him into the ground and hold him there. Leon bends down, turns the man’s head roughly so he can see his face. He’s already a little bruised up on one side. Leon doesn’t recognize him. Leon looks up wordlessly at his Dark Army aides. They make faces that tell Leon they don’t know him either. Nodding, Leon reaches over to tear his knife from the man’s arm. He doesn’t scream but he jerks hard under the soldiers’ grips. Leon rips into the back of his shirt.

Tattoos might be a good place to start, and the guy has a lot. He’s at a loss again as he runs his eyes over the permanent markings on the man’s back and neck; he can’t identify any of these as gang signs or otherwise. When they check his pockets, they find a small handgun stashed away. This man was definitely out to kill Tyrell. Leon wonders who he is. He doesn’t look like he’s affiliated with any of the guys who’d been sent to follow Darlene. How did this man even know where Tyrell was being kept?  
One of his partners smacks at his shoulders and suggests they get going. Right, schedules and all that. They decide not to kill him, to take him back to the base to see if he’s acting alone. They bag his head and shove him into the backseat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feel free to message and shitpost to me about mr. robot and elleon over at http://sin-no-jutsu.tumblr.com/


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elliot and Leon are finally realizing some things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> double post!!! as a big thank you to all y'all reading this!!!  
> and because school has me so busy rn so i'm late with chapters ;___;
> 
> and at the end of the chapter there's a link to playlist i made for the fic!  
> thank you all so much for your support!!! <3
> 
> also shouts out to happytappyteen for chatting me up, you're a sweetheart! <333

When he can’t take Darlene constantly giving him the Evil Eye any longer, Elliot finally caves and goes down to the warehouse with her. On the way, his mind is whirling. Just before he’d said yes, Mr. Robot had appeared pointedly by the apartment door. He was still giving Elliot the silent treatment, but the gleam in his eyes then made Elliot feel nauseous.

It’s not about control anymore, Elliot doesn’t think so. He thinks he’s learned his lesson about that. At this point, it’s about him restricting Mr. Robot’s access to as many other people as possible. All of phase two had been built without his knowing and it worries him to think what Mr. Robot could do with that kind of freedom.

He just hopes nothing goes wrong at the warehouse.

 

* * *

 

The area’s desolate, again. It always is. Just a couple of Dark Army guys hang around outside the Barn. Some of them look at Darlene, but she doesn’t look at any of them. She clenches her fists tight in the pockets of Cisco’s jacket. Outside the entrance, Leon’s there by himself, leaning on the wall just by the door. He looks bored, toeing at the gravel. Darlene catches herself smirking a bit. She’s warming up to him. Leon hears them coming and nods at them. Darlene looks over in time to see Elliot nod back. Leon looks down at them as they slow to a stop beside him.

“I fell asleep,” is the first thing out of Elliot’s mouth. “Sorry.” At first he thinks Leon won’t remember he’s talking about the movie, but Leon picks it up.

“Yeah, you left me to watch Max explode by myself.” He huffs a laugh that makes any guilt Elliot felt dissolve. “You were right, it was good.” Pride swells in Elliot’s chest and he feels a little lighter. He didn’t think he’d be this happy over Leon liking the movie. It makes up for the rocky relationship him and Seinfeld had. Elliot had told him to watch that, too. “And that fuckin initiation scene?” Leon wrenches up his face. “Shit was nasty. And creepy.”

Elliot shrugs, shakes his head a little. “I didn’t think it was too bad.” 80’s blood was so fake-looking. He’s not much of a judge, though. He and Darlene watched a lot of gross shit when they were younger.

“Nah, but if they remake it, it’s gonna be really gross.” Leon suddenly poses his hands like he’s holding something tangible. Elliot’s noticed he talks with his shoulders and hands a lot. He smiles a little. “Imagine-” Leon starts, but Darlene cuts in.

“You know,” her eyes lock onto Elliot and he feels his ears start to burn. He doesn’t know what she’s thinking, but he really, _really_ hopes she doesn’t make another boyfriend joke. “I wouldn’t have been able to tell you didn’t wanna come down here in the first place.” She shrugs when Elliot doesn’t answer. “Hey, Leon.”

Leon smiles at her, and Elliot realizes he’s very glad they know each other. “What’s good, Darlene.”

“I’m not gonna listen to you two nerd out. I’m getting to work.” She leaves them be, and pulls the door closed behind her. Elliot lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding.

Leon breaks free of the wall to step closer to Elliot, who doesn’t move away, just looks down at their feet. The lingering, fluttering feeling in his chest makes him feel like he shouldn’t speak first, so he waits.

“She’s funny, man.” And Leon means it. She’s got a different sense of humor from his own, but it’s not incompatible. Leon likes it.

Elliot shrugs, scratches his head. _Sometimes_ Darlene’s funny.

“You good, now?” Leon asks quietly, like he doesn’t want anyone else but Elliot to hear him. He watches Elliot give a small smile, then a nod. Simple but clear response. Very Elliot. “You think maybe that could happen again?”

He means the movie. Elliot wants to. “Yeah.”

Leon ducks his head and turns away, but not before Elliot catches the way his smile breaks into a grin. “Hm,” Leon’s holding the door open for him, “let’s head in.”

 

* * *

 

Inside the warehouse, Darlene is sitting between Trenton and Mobley. Angela is sitting on a couch, speaking to a Dark Army member, while Tyrell stands beside her, his hands in his pockets. Their eyes meet, and Elliot worries he might come over to speak to him. He peers up at Leon- he stares at Tyrell with an expression Elliot can’t read until he feels Elliot’s eyes on him. He looks down at Elliot quickly, before leaving his side to go speak to someone. Elliot turns to find a spot to work, but tenses when he sees Mr. Robot planted solidly in a foldout chair, his arms crossed, still silent.

He doesn’t stop to speculate what he’s doing here. Elliot sits down at a desk and starts to work. Aside from Trenton coming to check a few things with him, he’s not bothered. Across the room, Leon is shown papers, and he seems to cross things out in black marker. He crosses the room and hands Elliot a flash drive. Elliot works through the data. Tyrell’s given a tablet, and he looks over security information on a monitor. Angela helps, surrounded by Dark Army figures.

Elliot has to admit, he kind of likes this. It’s nothing like his old FSociety crew, and the Dark Army presence does make him a little uncomfortable, but he’s glad to be _busy_ , back at this thing he’s good at it. When he looks around the room, he can’t find Mr. Robot. Where did he go? No, no time for him. Not here. _Elliot’s_ here right now. He swallows his fear and checks his codes over. Over and over. Gets lost in it, just like he wants to.

The workflow’s broken up when there’s a small commotion at the door. A small group of Dark Army members start to gather their things and leave, including Leon. The other Army guys barely shoot them a glance. As the door shuts, that familiar anxious buzz grazes over him, settles deep under his skin. Elliot feels a little less enthused to be in the warehouse now.

Tyrell approaches, and carefully asks Elliot how he’s doing. Elliot isn’t sure how to respond. Something about this reminds him of when they first met. Remember? A senior vice pres and a tech. What are they now? The answer definitely isn’t equals.

“I’m fine.” It even sounds transparent.

He continues working. To busy himself. To think about something else.

“So, you’re gonna just avoid him?” Mr. Robot’s somewhere behind Elliot. He doesn’t look.

“Good.” Tyrell isn’t sure how to behave around Elliot right now. He opts to wait.

He can’t ignore him. “Is there something you need?” Elliot asks him.

“Could I talk to you outside?”

“I-”

Tyrell insists. “I need to apologize-”

Elliot shakes his head. “You don’t have to, I understand.” Take the bait.

Though Tyrell’s sincerity felt real, maybe, Elliot just isn’t in the space to forgive just yet. Not with Mr. Robot in the room with them. Maybe he’s being paranoid, but the whole thing seems sketchy to him. He hears Mr. Robot suck his teeth, and his suspicions feel justified. Yeah. Another time.

Tyrell leaves him alone, goes over to Angela. Elliot carefully looks over his shoulder. Mr. Robot’s gone. He turns back around, draws his eyes over the scene. He feels out of place. He shouldn’t have come down here. Elliot can see Darlene staring at him. He throws up his hood and makes for the door.

 

* * *

 

 

Elliot doesn’t like smoking really, is trying not to, especially since Darlene bugs him so much about it wrecking his appetite, but he needs a fix. Just a small one. Out here, the night is dark. The ground has a sheen on it, like it had just been raining before he stepped out. He never checks the weather anymore; a hoodie is pretty all-purpose, in his opinion.

The air is still tonight. He lets out a breath and watches the smoke cloud travel up. It hangs around with no wind to rush it, and disperses slowly. He wonders where those Dark Army guys have gone, and Leon...He thinks about Leon, mentally scratches at _that_ blaring and dangerous facet of him, and stops wondering what the Army guys are doing. His mind starts racing again. No, no. This is the whole reason he’s come out here, for a _break_. He looks around for anything interesting, especially anything that doesn’t relate to phase two or Leon, but the area’s so deserted. It doesn’t leave much to occupy your head.

And when did he start thinking about Leon so much?

He answers his own question: when he came back for him. Elliot felt he’s been given a lot of second chances by people who have more than enough right to ditch him. But Leon...they aren’t childhood friends, they aren’t court-mandated to see each other, and they haven’t hacked the FBI together. So what does Leon see in him? Not the truth, Elliot tells himself with a grunt. Leon shouldn’t have looked for him. He should’ve just gone on with his life, like Carla. Once Leon knows what everyone else knows, he won’t want to stay anyway.

His cigarette is nearly out. He tries to regain himself, focus, before going through that door again. But he’s obsessing again, trying to peel back the layers and see into something he probably has no business in. Asking himself questions he will never dare to ask Leon to his face. And he’s tried that agonizing method, with Carla, remember? Wasn’t so seamless. He’d almost lost her, actually.

He just needed to know. At least if he knew why Leon hung around him, he could justify him staying.

 

* * *

 

Darlene’s the last one hanging around the Barn when the Dark Army guys return from their mission. As she watches them clamber out a black van, she notices a few of them are missing. Leon ducks out of the passenger seat, sees her with a cigarette locked between two fingers and ambles over to talk, nods his usual greeting at her as he approaches.

“You just up and left us.” She looks him up and down. Something about him seems off, but she doesn’t ask.

“So you missed me?” He sounds like he’s forcing the humor out for her sake, like he doesn’t want her to worry. Darlene still laughs as Leon watches his men. “Elliot with you?”

“He called it a night, went home.” She plucks her cigarette away. “Should I stay at Trenton’s place?”

“Hm?” He turns to look at her, but doesn’t get an answer. He watches her raise her eyebrows, expectantly. He tilts his head, confused. “Why?”

Darlene shrugs one shoulder. “Just thought you two might be cuddling up for another little movie night.” She watches Leon slowly begin to smile, biting his lip to stop himself. “My mistake.” She laughs as Leon shoves his hands deeper into his hoodie pockets, ducking his head. She’s only half-joking. “Am I wrong?”

It’s Leon’s turn to laugh. “Maybe not tonight. He seemed tired. And honestly...” He stares as two of the Army guys drag a large suitcase out of the back of the van. “So am I. I’ll walk you, though.” He jabs his elbow at her, looking down at her.

Darlene accepts the offer gratefully.

 

* * *

 

Leon’s walking slow enough for Darlene to keep up with him as they trace the streets back to Elliot’s apartment. They’re talking nonsense mostly, but they easily maneuver through conversation like old friends. She lures him into this either-or game that she used to play with Elliot when they were kids. Dogs or cats? Stripes or spots? Candy or fruit? It’s going well, though sometimes they argue over the foods. After a particularly vulgar one, they disrupt the quiet of the night with their laughter. When their amusement dies down, neither of them know what to follow the game up with.

“Leon,” Darlene decides to say something, “don’t make me regret this, but, I do like you being around. I wasn’t sure about you at first, but now…” She nods. She really had been a little skeptical of the guy, and more than reluctant to trust him. “Elliot hasn’t really told me much about you. How did you two even meet?”

Leon meets her honesty with his own. “Dark Army sent me to watch him in jail.”

“You were…” Darlene stops walking, and Leon stops to stay beside her. “He was okay in there, right? You were there with him. I know this might seem weird, but it’s just that Elliot...hasn’t talked to me about it.” Darlene looks at his face, and Leon sees a sister caring for her brother. He can’t tell her, not _everything_. It’s not for him to say.

“Yeah. Well, I dunno, there was a lot.” He scratches at his forehead with his thumb. “He got in some shit with the warden, but...he pulled through.”

Darlene’s eyebrows furrowed. Leon knows she’s gonna ask. She’s coming to him, looking to pry the missing pieces out of him, to help Elliot better. He understands.

“They fucked him up, put him in solitary.” He shakes his head. “He wouldn’t talk to me. I could’ve helped but I found out too late.” Leon had heard everything from everyone around the prison, but even he hadn’t wanted to risk getting caught up with Ray or Lone Star. But for Elliot, he would have. “I’m sorry, Darlene.”

He was. No matter how often Leon had warned him against it, Elliot kept pushing. When Elliot had limped his way over to him on the court, Leon’s heart fell into his gut. He’d failed. The one thing he was told to do, the one thing White Rose had asked, and he let those guys get that far. As he’d watched Elliot barely talk to him through a stiff jaw, and peer at the game through bruised and swollen eyes, Leon swore to himself no one would ever get that close again.

Darlene is quiet but her shoulders shake a little. Leon gets the feeling this is about more than just fights in jail. Darlene doesn’t strike him as a worrywart but, in this moment, he’s feeling some secondhand pressure of years of concern. He finds himself backtracking, replaying the conversations he’s had with Elliot, searching for a hint, something to string this all together. It frustrates him knowing something, besides the obvious, is so deadly wrong about this to Darlene, but he isn’t able to understand. What’s he missing?

“No...whatever you did was enough.” Darlene doesn’t wipe at her eyes. Leon probably can’t see how bad it looks with how dark it is. “He’s here now and he wants you here with him.” Maybe Elliot won’t say it, but she will. “I don’t care if it was for Dark Army, either. Thank you for taking care of him.” She sounds tired, even to herself. Darlene’s grateful Leon hadn’t shied away from her tears. She gives him props mentally that he hadn’t tried to hug her. When she starts walking and Leon falls into step with her, something else pops into her mind. “Can I ask you something else?”

“Shoot.”

She can’t believe she’s about to ask this. “Did you know a guy named Cisco?” Fat chance, but she’s still curious.

He didn’t, and for that, Leon feels as if he’s let her down twice tonight. “I heard about what happened to him. Elliot asked me about it.”

“He did?” Elliot and her hadn’t really talked about Cisco since he’d been gunned down. She’d kind of taken it on as her own problem. “What did he ask you?”

“If I’m down with that kinda shit, I guess.” He reads Darlene’s silence quickly. “I’m not, not even by order.”

Her voice lacks accusation when she says, “But you’ve killed before. On their order.”

Leon can’t argue against that. He even turns it over in his head that in other circumstances, he might’ve killed Elliot and Darlene. He would’ve never spoken to them, would’ve never known them like he does now. He would have just erased them. From that point of view, he knows how hard it is to believe, but he wants them to know he wouldn’t erase them now.

“I’ve killed before, too.” Darlene admits plainly, remorse nowhere to be found. She doesn’t look at him, or stop like she wants to talk about it.

It’s Leon who’s grateful this time. It’s not something to bond over, what they’ve done. How _would_ you? What do you talk about? How great it felt? How many bodies you have?

He spares a few glances the rest of the way, she might be thinking about the same thing. Leon wonders who it was, if it was self-defense, if it was out of rage. He thinks she’s probably innocent, and who it was deserved it. That’s his conclusion, as flawed and lacking as it is. That’s how he sees Darlene. He doesn’t need to hear the rest of the story.

 

* * *

 

While Darlene’s buzzing them in on the apartment porch, Leon scans the area with his eyes. Nothing had bothered him the entire way here, but he’s just making sure.

When they get inside, Darlene groans. Elliot’s lying on the couch, asleep. Again. His laptop is open on the table. Leon laughs a little bit. If Elliot couldn’t even relax in his own apartment, he might have to think of something cooler than a movie for next time. He wonders for a second if Elliot has any hobbies. He should ask.

Darlene swaps looks between Elliot and Leon. “Are you going to stay?”

He wants to. Leon feels like between the two of these Aldersons, a lot of emotional stuff’s been squeezed out of him the past few weeks. He would love to stay, but he needs a break. He has a lot to think about. “Nah, I can’t, not really. I’m not even supposed to hang around unless it's important.” That’s not a lie, either.

Darlene rolls her eyes, but she chases it with a small smile. “There’s nowhere for you to sleep anyway, I guess. See you around then, Leon.”

Leon nods like he always does, and looks around the apartment affectionately as he backs out. His gaze falls on Elliot, and lingers there, but only when he knows Darlene’s turned around and can’t see him. She’s teased him enough lately, _both_ of them, if he hasn’t been reading things wrong. Maybe he’s getting ahead of himself. He shuts the door and saunters down the stairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> for your listening pleasure, here's the official playlist for r3w0rk!  
> https://play.spotify.com/user/22ka3ntluxd5bprhfzlughq6a/playlist/67UeTSJQqi7xkKnhk6ORA6
> 
> EDIT: SHIT i almost forgot!!! it's not on spotify so i couldn't add it, but at some point please find "Fallen" by Jaden Smith and end the soundtrack with that lmao
> 
> i'm gonna make a tumblr post for it eventually, i gotta piece up a good graphic for it first (it's gonna be a damn shitty ps edit)  
> there's no set genre for the playlist, so please be open and give each song a chance! they are all important for a reason!
> 
> also the playlist is firstly an elleon playlist (you'll be able to tell which songs lmao), then it's the fic playlist, and THEN i've recently realized it fits season 2 very well lmao  
> it's multipurpose. anyway, please enjoy it!  
> that's like, the desktop link btw.  
> if for some reason it doesn't work for you, just search up "r3w0rk" on spotify, the playlist is public! <3
> 
> thank you all so much for reading! it's nearly overrr ;o;


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> bffs become bffs again and Elliot's stressing out.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> wowwww we are almost done
> 
> here's the link to the fic soundtrack again! we're at around the "Love$ick" point haha  
> https://play.spotify.com/user/22ka3ntluxd5bprhfzlughq6a/playlist/67UeTSJQqi7xkKnhk6ORA6

Darlene watches Angela pour water out a pitcher into two glasses. When she’s set the pitcher down, Darlene folds her arms. “So what’s this about?”

Angela is used to Darlene breaking into her apartment, so she never reacts anymore. But tonight she was expecting her, had called Darlene over, in fact. For some reason, she still looks at Darlene with raised eyebrows.

She’d never been good at hiding what she’s thinking. Darlene rolls her eyes. “Look, let’s just get the awkward shit out the way. You let that freak shoot my brother-”

“I  _ didn’t _ let him-” Angela tries, but Darlene doesn’t let her say any more.

“-and now you invite me up to your apartment. Alone. Brave.” She lets her bag fall from her shoulder, then folds her arms again. “Considering some of the things you know I’ve done.”

Angela knows Darlene. And she knows Darlene makes threats when she wants to be taken seriously. She feels bad that it’s even come to that. “I wanted to say sorry.”

“Wow, you two are even apologizing at the same time.” Darlene scoffs, smiles sarcastically. Angela doesn’t need to ask her to elaborate to know she’s talking about Tyrell, too. “Look, I don’t know if you  _ like _ playing around with us, or something…”

Angela notes the “us.” When did she stop being a part of that? She wants to argue, but she keeps quiet. She has to let Darlene finish.

“But I’m not fucking having it. So tell me something that really  _ means _ something, or leave me alone.” Darlene doesn’t move.

“You really want me to do that?” Angela asks her. If Darlene says yes, she’ll know she means it. And Angela will leave her alone. But Darlene doesn’t say anything. She looks away, actually. Maybe Angela still has a chance. “I’m sorry, Darlene.”

Darlene ignores that. “Have you spoken to Elliot?” Angela nods. “He forgave you?” Angela starts to answer, but Darlene is quick. “You know what, don’t answer that, of course he did.” She rolls her eyes.

Something about what she says offends Angela. Does Darlene think Elliot can’t think for himself? Does she think Angela manipulates him? She doesn’t ask, though. She doesn’t need an argument right now. “Are you going to sit?” She holds her hands out to the table. Darlene occupies a chair and takes a sip of water. Angela stays on her feet. “I also have something else to tell you.”

Darlene sucks her teeth, sets her glass back down. “Fucking shit…” She stands up, and Angela knows she’s going to bolt.

“No, no- the apology  _ was _ real.” She’s in front of Darlene know, blocking her but not touching her. “I  _ had _ to say that first. I wanted to apologize to you and Elliot.” She watches Darlene sit back down. “Now, I’ve told Elliot this already. I need to tell you, too.”

Darlene studies her for a while. She’s trying to decide if it’s worth it. Angela knows her, knows how much it takes to get back on her friend’s good side, how difficult it is for her to trust again. Angela will stand there willingly for as long as it takes. “Okay.” Darlene finally mumbles. “I’m listening.”

* * *

 

It’s late, and the park’s only got a few stragglers roaming around. Leon spots Angela on a bench and crosses the courtyard, settling down next to her. “Anyone with you?”

Angela looks at him steadily. “No...besides the guys in the car.” Leon just nods. “What’s going on?”

Leon glances at the road, watches cars drift by. “There’s a group tailing Tyrell. Maybe you, too. I can’t tell just yet.”

“Who is it?” Angela ignores the part of her screaming danger. Darlene had once taught her to do that.

“The one guy I got...saw some tattoos.” Leon shrugs. They didn’t look familiar to him, so they’d been pointless. Even after the soldiers tore the guys nails out and crushed his knuckles, the man still wouldn’t speak. Leon’s memory of those busted hands aren’t anything compared to the mental image of how he’d looked when the Dark Army tucked and fit his unconscious body into a suitcase. “Might be in a gang, might not.”

Angela has no idea who he could be talking about. She tries to run through any connections she might have found in her research in the township coverup. She can’t think of anything.

“Either way,” Leon continues after waiting for her to say something for a while, “I gotta make sure it’s not a nest of ‘em. Might be more trouble for White Rose than is necessary.”

She doesn’t miss the look he gives her. Between Darlene earlier today, and this guy beside her right now, Angela’s been feeling like an outsider. “Is Elliot okay?” She brings up the only common ground they have. “Are they following him too?”

“It doesn’t look like it.” Leon stands up, preparing to leave.

Angela wants to ask him what she’s supposed to do with this information. Can she leave her apartment at all? Was Whiterose going to speak to her soon? What should she do?

“And if they try it, don’t worry,” Leon’s looking at her with the same intensity he had in that clinic months ago. “I got him.”

 

* * *

  
  


This time, it’s just darkness.

 

Elliot’s pulled out of the dreamless void and finds him in his bed. His phone is buzzing right beside his head. It’s not Darlene, it’s some unknown number. He’s a little irked about it, the sudden wake-up making him a little cranky, but then part of him briefly hopes it’s Leon. He talks himself down from that. He isn’t even sure he’s ever  _ seen _ Leon with a phone. He hopes anyway.

He answers the call and brings the phone to his ear. “Hm?”

“Elliot.” It’s Tyrell. Elliot sits up. “The warehouse has been locked down. What’s going on?”

Locked down? Elliot’s brows furrow. “I don’t know anything about that.”

“Are you sure?” Tyrell asks slowly, like he doesn’t believe him. “No one told you anything?”

Elliot waits for Tyrell to speak again. He isn’t sure how long. He stares at Flipper’s old bowls, then gets lost imagining patterns on the walls. Suddenly, there’s static on the other line, and Elliot feels interrupted, like he’s just woken up. Again. But he’s been awake, this whole time. Right? He checks- tenses his body up. He feels his phone in his hands, feels his clothes against his skin, feels his lower back pinch with the strain. This isn’t a dream. He’s been awake. He pulls his phone away, looks at the unknown number, and watches the graphics on his phone change as the call is ended.

Immediately, he’s worrying. He’d just been talking to Tyrell, right? What had happened? He looks around. Mr. Robot isn’t present, but Elliot just  _ knows _ he’d been here. He has the same feeling he did when Ray had said he’d spoken to him but forgotten. It bothers him, more than bothers him, it scares him. What had Mr. Robot said? Elliot digs deep but still can’t find the missing conversation.

He’s spiralling, and he’s alone in this apartment. Darlene isn’t here to tell him what he’s said, confirm what he’s done. He wants to know. He needs to know.

He backtracks, tries to think of everything he does know. His starts with what’s the most recent and hopes it’ll help him stabilize. But it’s all just a slippery slope. One thing leads to another. He goes too far. The shot, his time in jail, before jail, before the hack, before  _ Allsafe _ , when he smashed those servers and finally realized he was just-

Fuck. He’s done so much shit. So much. And he’s made mistakes. And he’s been wrong, dead wrong. So, what is he doing now? What is he doing now? What is he doing? What is-

The pressure of everything he’s done and is doing is coming down on him. He wants something,  _ anything _ , to just settle his mind. And fuck if he doesn’t know where this feeling is taking him. He’s trying to suppress everything down, down, so far down. He goes for a cigarette.

* * *

 

The nicotine isn’t doing a damn thing for him. That’s not good. He’s halfway through his cigarette when he turns and sees Darlene and Leon walking up to the apartment. Darlene carrying a bag, and when she’s close enough, she holds it up for Elliot to see. “The Barn was fucking locked down or some shit so we ran around for food and decided on a truck. Burgers, bro.” He can smell the food from where he’s standing, but he doesn’t have the heart to tell her he doesn’t have much of an appetite right now.

Beside her, Leon asks, “You heard anything about the warehouse?” He’s giving him a strange look that makes Elliot think about the phone call he just had with Tyrell, and that makes him feel like Leon can read his mind. And Leon and Tyrell just never go well.

Looking away, and hoping to interrupt the mental connection that could possibly be at work, Elliot shrugs. Leon backs off.

“Hurry up and meet us upstairs, okay?” Darlene walks past Elliot, up the steps.

Behind her, Leon shakes with Elliot, belated in their usual greeting. He grins the whole time, like he’s ready to laugh. He lingers afterwards, bites his lip and can’t seem to hold eye contact.

Something flutters in Elliot’s chest and he can’t tell if he’s self-conscious or...something else. It feels weird. Maybe foreboding. Probably not good. “What’s so funny?” he asks. And he really, desperately, wants to know.

Leon shrugs, breaks into that contagious smile he’d been trying so hard to keep to himself. “Nothing…”

“ _ Aww _ ,” Darlene vocalizes from her spot on the stairs.

Oh,  _ shit _ . Just like that, the mystery of whatever was happening between them vanishes. Elliot wants to tell her to quit it but he can’t stop looking at Leon. Is this really happening?

“Chill,” Leon mutters. He sheepishly backs away from Elliot and joins Darlene on the steps.

“Wow,” Darlene raises her eyebrows at Elliot as Leon ambles past her through the door. “Yeah, better hurry up with that cigarette. Really, we’re trying to eat.” She leaves him then, and Elliot stamps out his light. He can’t bring himself to finish it now.   
  


 

By the time Elliot gets up there, Leon’s done eating and he’s pulling out sodas from the fridge. Darlene points at the table by the bathroom so that Elliot can see his food there. “Can you believe we actually forgot to grab drinks from the truck?” She says in disbelief, more to herself than to Elliot. “We _paid_ for that shit and just...forgot.” 

Leon chuckles, hands Darlene her soda. He sits with Elliot, slides his can across the table, and snaps open his own. He nods at Elliot’s food, the foil wrappings still untouched. “You gonna eat?”

Elliot doesn’t even look at the food. “Maybe later.”

He’s still thinking about earlier. What had happened? The panic drums through him as he recalls his confusion, just once. He feels exhausted. He still hasn’t seen Mr. Robot, so he hasn’t been able to get answers. He just wants to forget at this point, anyway. He’s nervous and fights himself on asking, but does anyway, eventually.

“Leon…” He glances over at Darlene. She’s on her phone. She’s not listening. Leon looks at Elliot expectantly. “Could you...find me something to take?”

Leon just stares at him. It’s unnerving to Elliot, feels like he’s judging him. He knows he isn’t, but Elliot can’t help thinking it.

“It doesn’t have to be Adderall-” When Leon sets his drink down and takes a breath, Elliot can feel his own stomach drop. “I used to take morphine, I…I just need…” He can’t handle the way Leon’s looking at him. He looks down and away. “It’s for nerves.” It’s not a complete lie, it’s not a lie at all really, but he knows how it  _ sounds _ . When he looks up, he checks Darlene’s corner first. She’s still on her phone. It takes a lot to finally look at Leon.

“Nah, man.” He shakes his head softly, picks his soda back up. “I don’t think I can have you bouncing off the walls on me again.”

It shouldn’t hurt, but it does. Elliot isn’t sure why.

“Sorry.” Leon’s reading his face.

Elliot just nods. He doesn’t what he would say if he did speak. He feels trapped. He wants to leave. He doesn’t.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank y'all again so much for reading this!
> 
> my favorite thing this chapter was that quick reminder Leon had of the guy that was stuffed in a suitcase lmao  
> that's also what was in that suitcase he was looking at when he was talking to Darlene last chapter haaaaaaaaaaa
> 
> any favorite parts so far?   
> let me know what you think in a comment! <3333


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Going backwards, maybe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "mirror," by earl sweatshirt tbh rn

It’s been nearly a week, and the warehouse is still shut down. The two Dark Army soldiers stationed at the waterfront turn him away, the upper windows of the abandoned base just barely visible in Elliot’s sight.

He’s home. He paces. He flips through his cd case of people files until it makes his stomach turn. He sits on his floor clenching his fist tight against his knees. Mr. Robot doesn’t show up, not even when he wills it. He takes a shower. He eats the last of the pizza rolls in the freezer, but he doesn’t even taste them. He tries to light a cigarette but his lighter dies. He thumbs at the mechanism fruitlessly, listens to the clicks until they seem to echo in his head before he drops the damned thing on the floor. This is just...this is too much. He needs a break.

He takes his hoodie from the back of his computer chair and slips it on. With his hand on the doorknob, he tries to tell himself that what he’s about to do is a one-time thing. It’s just a distraction. It’ll be quick. He won’t have to tell anyone. It won’t be a problem.

 

* * *

 

Caught at a stoplight, Darlene smiles as she flicks through the pictures on her phone. She isn’t really the selfie type, and usually never takes pictures of her and the hacking group, but these are different. Some silly photos of her and Trenton after they were turned away from the barn again. And a stray cat with a missing eye they met by the piers. It was only a few, too- she can’t remember the last time she’d had pictures like this on her phone. She was going to delete them soon, anyway. It was dangerous to keep photos of one another.

Heading for Elliot’s apartment, she wonders if she’ll find Leon there, too. Not that Elliot needs a babysitter or anything, but Darlene can admit that she does feel relieved when she sees them together. She knows then that at least Leon’s making sure Elliot’s okay, making sure he’s talking to someone else other than himself, looking out for himself just as much as he looks out for everyone else.

But as she comes up on the apartment, Darlene slows to a stop. On the front steps- is that Elliot? He’s not moving. Is he sleep? Outside? Why would he be sleep outside? Something’s not right. She rushes over to him, bends down. No, he’s breathing. He really is sleep.

“Elliot?” Darlene shakes his shoulder gently. A couple people walking by give them looks. Darlene crouches down and speaks softer. “Elliot?” She watches him open his eyes. He lifts himself up on one arm. “What are you doing out here?” She asks him slowly, carefully.

He drags a hand down his face. There’s a small bruise, by his temple. Did he hit his head here, on the steps? He looks around, doesn’t look at Darlene but past her, then looks away again. He still doesn’t say anything.

Darlene thinks with a sinking feeling that this looks too familiar. She reaches out, grabs his arm gently. “Elliot. What are you doing out here?”

He looks at her, blinks hard. “The power’s out.” He points up at the apartment building.

Darlene lets him go. “So, you just sat out here?” He doesn’t respond, just tries to stand up. Tries. He wobbles on the way up, grips the railing. “How long have you been out here?” He still doesn’t say anything, just keeps looking around lazily. Darlene looks at the bruise on his head again, down to his eyes. She leans forward, grabs his arm. “Come on, we’re going upstairs.”

 

They nearly fall through the door into Elliot’s apartment once she gets it open. Darlene’s shoulder hurts from supporting her brother’s weight. The lights are out, and the apartment is certainly silent without the hum of the computers and the fridge. She lowers him as slowly and gently as she can onto his bed. He sways a little, but stays sitting up.

“Are you going to get sick?” Darlene asks him clearly, crossing the room to get him some water. She looks back at him from her place in front of the kitchen sink. “Elliot?” She watches him shake his head and shuffles to the middle of his bed.

“Just…” Elliot reaches out for the cup as she returns to his side. His hand grasps at air. “Tired.” He lets Darlene help him get the glass to his mouth. After a few sips, he lies back.

“Elliot.” He looks at her this time. “What did you take?” Darlene watches him start to shake his head, delayed, but she doesn’t wait. “Who gave it to you?”

He still doesn’t answer, closes his eyes and runs a hand through his hair. That’s when it hits Darlene. It’s not something she wants to believe, but she heard them talking the other day. She bites the inside of her cheek before she asks, “It was Leon, wasn’t it?”

Elliot’s eyes open then. “No,” he slurs, then again, more clearly. “No.”

“Stay here, okay?” Even as she says it, Elliot’s eyes are closing. She promises that she won’t be long as she shuts the door behind her. 

 

* * *

 

It’s risky and she knows it, but Darlene’s back at the waterfront and she doesn’t back down from the Army guys that are trying to turn her away until Leon finally comes around the corner.

“Darlene?” As he comes toward her, the other guys retreat. “What’s up?”

“I fucking told you,” Darlene snarls at him, doesn’t miss the way Leon flinches a little, “I told you not make me regret the shit I said. What’d you give Elliot?”

Leon stands rigid, afraid to move. “What? When?”

“I just found him passed out on our fucking porch.” Darlene wants to hit him. She folds her arms. “He’s out of it.”

“Shit.” Leon takes a small step back, but Darlene steps into his space.

“Yeah.” She stares up at him, unblinking. He sure seems torn up. “He’s at home right now. Can barely make a fucking sentence.”

“Darlene, I don’t know what you think I did, but I didn’t give him anything.” Leon steps into her line of sight when she looks away. “I wouldn’t.”

She slowly relaxes as she looks at his face. “Shit,” she sighs. “I really thought it was you for a second.”

“I wouldn’t,” Leon repeats. “But,” he hides his hands in his pockets, “he did ask me for stuff in prison. I ended up giving him Adderall. He said it was to focus.” He clears his throat nervously. “I dunno, I kinda got it, you know? Lots of guys in there have a hard time with the adjusting, I thought I was just…” He shakes his head loosely, disappointed in himself. “I don’t know. Everything in me was telling me not to give him that shit. I even told him to be careful.” He laughs at himself, but it’s self-depreciating. “But I can’t even _guess_ how much he was taking to be acting the way he was.”

Darlene doesn’t know what to say. “What else did you give him?”

“He asked for a notebook.” Leon shrugs when Darlene makes a face. “Seriously. Wrote in that shit all the time. I never got to see what was in it, tho.” He turns back around, motions to the Dark Army guys who were standing far off to the side, waiting for him. One of them raises a hand in return, and Leon starts walking, gesturing for Darlene to follow.

He leads her to a car parked all alone in a gravel lot. It’s nice, more than nice really. It’s a dark gray, with a stripe of black matting running over its top. As Leon leans into the front seat to unlock the doors, Darlene cuts around the back. “You said he was home?”

“Yeah.” He’s looking at her when they settle into the seats.

“You mind if I talk to him?” Leon asks her. He’s got his hand set on the key, but hasn’t started the car. He’s waiting to hear Darlene’s answer.

“No.” Darlene feels relief wash over her again. “Actually, I feel like he really needs you right now.”

Leon keeps glancing at her as he maneuvers the car out onto the road. “You wanna tell me what’s going on?” He feels Darlene looking at him but he has to watch the road. “I asked him what was up before I passed him those pills before.” He shrugs with with his driving arm, mumbles through the nail of his other thumb between his teeth. “He never talked to me.”

Darlene just looks out her window. She watches the lines on the road blur as the car speeds up. “That’s what he does.” She doesn’t answer his question, though. As much as she wants to talk to Leon, it’s not up to her to share what Elliot hasn’t. Not yet, at least. She doesn’t want to make a rift between them by forcing anything.

 

* * *

 

Leon double parks in front of the apartment. Darlene starts to get out the car, but leans back. “You’re not coming up?”

“You mind if I just…”  
  
He doesn’t finish, but she gets it. “Yeah, I’ll go get him.” Leon watches her slide out the car, buzz herself in, and disappear up the stairs.

While he’s waiting, Leon gets nervous. He doesn’t know why. He never gets like this when it’s going to be just him and Elliot, but something was different. What was going on tonight? More importantly, what happened?

He thought everything had been going good. Or something like that. Sure, Elliot is still kinda reserved and strange, but that’s just Elliot. He’s like that, that isn’t a problem, not for Leon. Except right now. Leon really should’ve guessed something was off when Elliot asked him to get him something to pop again. Leon just kind of thought they’d dropped it. He should’ve asked, he should have done something more that just say no. He feels fucking stupid.

There’s movement out the corner of his eye, and Leon looks over slightly as Elliot drops into the passenger seat, shuts the door stiffly. He’s quiet, aside from a few sniffling sounds here and there. It’s too dark for Leon to see his face completely.

“Your lights back on?” Leon asks carefully. Elliot nods in silence, keeps his eyes on the cars racing away from them down the street. Leon watches his face for a while, until Elliot finally turns his head away. Leon finally leans back and pulls off.

The ride’s quiet for a while. Leon’s thinking about the last time he’d seen Elliot crash like this. He’d talked a lot, was _loud_ , actually. It had been unnerving, but not nearly as unnerving as how little sleep Elliot had been getting. It showed all over his face. Leon had been really worried about him. How did he miss it this time? What happened in the week since Leon had last seen him? And why didn’t Elliot talk to him? Or Darlene, or someone? Anyone could have found Leon for him. He asked Leon for some pills and just quit after that? Went to some rando on the corner? Was that all Leon was good for, then? Was that all Elliot trusted him with? Or maybe that was all Leon had showed him he was able to do for him. Either way, it wasn’t right, he cared so much more than that.

He looks over at Elliot as he slows for a red light. This isn’t about him, he knows it, but it concerns him. He takes a breath just to even himself before he talks. “I won’t force you to talk,” he wants Elliot to know that, first and foremost, “but a long time ago I asked what’s grindin you up and you said you was fine, and I _knew_ you weren’t, but I let you say it…” He shakes his head as the light turns green. “But now? _This_ shit? This ain’t fine, Elliot. It’s not. You and me both can see that. So, if you don’t wanna say nothing, alright, but if you do, don’t gimme that “I’m fine” shit, man. Just don’t.”

Beside him, Elliot’s still silent. Is Leon mad? He’s never had Leon mad at him before. He feels the burn of tears behind his already irritated eyes, feels the lump in his throat swell up again. He didn’t want Leon to see him like this. He feels like a damn idiot. It hurts more to know that he’s hurting Leon, too. This isn’t what he wanted, this is what he was trying to avoid. Part of him misses getting fucked up with Shayla. There weren’t really consequences, then. He wasn’t hurting her when he did morphine back then.

He wants to get out, to get away, to get away from Leon. He hasn’t wanted to be so far away and so close to someone at the same time so badly. When he looks over, Leon’s eyes are locked on the road. His jaw’s clenched, his thumb’s tapping restlessly on the wheel. He’s mad, so, so mad. Or frustrated? Either way, it’s Elliot’s fault. He wants Leon to look at him, reassure him, but he stays quiet, muffles his sniffling under the growl of the engine.

Where should Elliot start? He doesn’t know what went wrong. Everything just got overwhelming, and he tracked down a fix, and somewhere on the way home, he just starting taking them. It hadn’t even been a lot. But then he just wanted to get rid of them, all of them, so he wouldn’t have to see them tomorrow and be tempted, or risk Darlene finding them. He’d just wanted to forget everything, just for today, and then he’d be fine. How did he get here? Fuck.

Would he be selfish for keeping quiet? _Maybe._ Elliot peeks over Leon, who’s still eyeing the road. Would Leon hate him for it? Elliot thinks about it, really thinks about it. _No._ But he’d be taking advantage. Leon wouldn’t tell him that, but Elliot knows it.

Elliot should tell him. Everything. He needs to. But how? They pass a deli Elliot used to frequent. He plucks a story from his memory, and thinks about how he’d tell it to Leon, then transition from that into his confession. But he never does it. They pass a street corner that just unearths memories for Elliot, and he considers talking again. He never does it. Over and over, he keeps trying to try, but it never happens. His heart stops when he imagines how Leon will look at him, talk to him, _leave him_ when he finds out that Elliot sees his dead father, and was ( _is?_ ) an addict, and wasn’t fast enough to stop his girlfriend from being killed, and also got his boss killed, and-

No. It might be cowardly, but not tonight. Not tonight.

When his breathing’s back to normal, Elliot reaches forward for the radio, to break the silence.

Leon catches the movement in his peripherals. “Nah, ain’t no stations on this thing. Stripped out.” Leon glances over at him and shrugs. “Weird Dark Army shit.” He chuckles a little bit, genuinely, at the absurdity of it. It causes a fluttering feeling in Elliot’s chest that makes it impossible to talk even if he wanted to.

But it’s just enough, nearly perfect for Elliot, and he leans back. He feels lighter already.

 

* * *

 

Leon had gone all around and ended up driving back to the waterfront. He pulled into an open, gravel lot with small headstones that marked off parking spaces. There were boats tethered to the docks. It was quiet, aside from the waves rolling into each other. Elliot got out the car to escape the interior; he was feeling a bit self-conscious over his face after crying. He walked to the front of the car, sat back on the hood. At first he thought Leon might tell him to move (it was a nice car) but, no. Nothing. He spends some time looking at the waves until he feels like he’s subconsciously doing it to enact some cliche, then he just stares down at his feet.

Elliot doesn’t move away when Leon fills his peripheral vision, leaning on the car beside him. He’s comforted by how close he is, and freaked out by the fact it’s comforting. That’s just...not right. Right?

Elliot’s rewound the events of the night in his head several times before he hears Leon say his name. He drags it, exhausts it in frustration.

“Damn bro, where were you?” Leon’s looking him right in the eyes. They’re close, and Elliot should move away but he doesn’t. Part of him wonders why Leon doesn’t. “I was talking to you for a _minute_ , too.”

Leon wouldn’t make a fuss about it if it had just been about TV. Elliot looks at him, waits for Leon to tell him again. He’ll pay attention this time.

“What were you thinkin about, cuz?” Elliot shakes his head. Not important. Leon raises a hand to stop Elliot. “Naw, what I was saying wasn’t even that important, bro.” Fuck. How does he always manage to echo what Elliot’s thinking in his head? “I’m serious.” Leon’s voice gets a little quieter. “What’s up? You good?” They’re alone, but he’s still talking like he only wants Elliot to hear him.

There’s that fluttering feeling in Elliot’s chest and stomach again. It’s damning. He wants to ignore it. This is-

Leon gets up and in a few steps he’s in front of Elliot. He has to look down at him still, just a bit. Elliot still doesn’t say anything. He’s worried he’ll say the wrong thing. Leon looks away, seems to think about something, before leaning forward just a bit, his hands on the hood of the car. Their eyes were level now. Elliot’s heart was suspended.

“I know all that shit back there was crazy but…” Elliot felt like Leon was reading him with this stare. He suddenly felt mortified about the possibility of Leon being able to see what he was thinking now. Then he sees Leon’s eyes glance down, quickly, at his mouth, he’s _sure_ \- “I got you, you know that? I’m here for you. I got you.”

Just a few moments ago he hadn’t been able to take in a word Leon had been saying, but now he was all Elliot could hear, could focus on. What is he supposed to do? He wants to get closer, much closer. The last time he'd felt like this, Shayla had shared with him the years of love and thought that had gone into a quilt. She’d bared herself when Elliot hadn’t quite offered the same to her. And here he was again, with Leon, someone baring their self in front of him, and him not knowing how to share back. And he knows what it means, feels that shiver of deja vu, and knows he’s in trouble if he’s misread this.

He’s scared to ask, again. Doesn’t know if he can take this falling down around him if he’s wrong. What? Wrong? _Look_ at them- he should just do it, right? How could he possibly be second-guessing this? He’s almost content here, with Leon at least _this_ close, and the thought between them.

Leon pulls away first, slowly. He brings his hands back, carefully. He’s trying not to touch Elliot. Shit. He should’ve said something; if there ever was a time he’d wanted to be touched, to have just been close, it would be now. Leon scratches nervously at one fist with the other hand, takes a step back. No, no, no, no. Fuck, he should’ve done something. _Something._

“I think…” Leon looks at him, at his face, and Elliot looks right back. “I think I should take you back home. Darlene’s gonna get worried, cuz.”

How can Elliot get in this car after what just happened? He knows what that was, are they supposed to act like it didn’t happen? He gets in the car anyway. If he couldn’t talk to Leon earlier, then he doesn’t deserve to ask for something like that from him. 

 

* * *

 

The car ride back wasn’t actually awkward, and when Leon dropped him off, there certainly was something that wasn’t said, but it didn’t feel...urgent. Now, lying on his bed, Elliot’s wondering what’s going on again. Just a few hours ago, the world had felt so big, the very idea of it could crush him. Now, it felt extremely small, and the only people on it were him and Leon.

They’d almost kissed. Something about that made Elliot want to scream. Where was this fitting into everything, into his life, into phase two? How did he get here, thinking about this? And this didn’t feel new, a part of him is screaming that this feels so natural, just right. How long had he been thinking like this? How long had Leon been thinking the same?

He rolls over, tries to clear his mind, But it all just keeps coming back. Leon, coming to get him, talking to him, getting that close... _that_ close…

Elliot realizes his hands are covering his face. He doesn’t remember doing it. He feels hot, all over his face, around his neck. He moves onto his back again. Beside him, Darlene groans impatiently. He can’t sleep like this. He can’t find peace with this thing on his mind.

But he doesn’t want to stay awake either. It’s torture, the stirring in his chest, the pit in his stomach, the replaying of the memory of that damn almost-kiss that his mind just runs off with…

Elliot just meets it head-on. Does he like Leon? He’d be lying if he said no. He doesn’t have to go into specifics about it, not even to himself. Could this really turn into something? He thinks it’s possible, and if he listens to that rushing around in his head, he knows he wants it to turn into something. He really does.

Is it worth it? That’s where Elliot gets stuck. Is _he_ worth it? He couldn’t even _talk_ to Leon tonight. How’s he expect _this_ to work between them, whatever happens? Nothing happened really, and so there’s still time to act like nothing will. But Elliot knows he doesn’t, knows from the way his whole insides seem to contract and burn up at the thought. His eyes even water. No, he can’t ignore this.

He doesn’t know where to start with it, though.

He turns over. Maybe- and he doesn’t have to tell anyone he did this -he can dream about it. Like Leon’s told him to before. He can imagine it, form some kind of idea of what he wants being with Leon to be like, and go from there.

  
  
It’s a start, right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> does anyone read these notes,, if you're reading this: AGAIN thank you so much wtf <333  
> like i really do appreciate any of you that drops a fuckin kudo or a comment or even bookmarks this mess!!!
> 
> sorry if the spacing feels weird i really couldn't settle on his to break these paragraphs,   
> like it edited this jawn like 50 times


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